


Girls und Panzer - Erika the Radical

by zaochron333



Category: Girls und Panzer
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, F/F, Female Friendship, Memes, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-08-03 09:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 64,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16323305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaochron333/pseuds/zaochron333
Summary: After the defeat of the 63rd National Sensha-do Tournament, Shiho Nishizumi saw there're flaws in the Nishizumi Style along with Kuromorimine's rigid strategy. She'd need someone to take charge and change it, but who will she entrust such task for the new future of Kuromorimine? Maho Nishizumi? No. It's Erika Itsumi, the Radical!





	1. That moment

"Shell loaded!"

  
Without lingering any more second, Erika Itsumi, the light blond haired girl, who was the commander of this very dreadful war machine known as King Tiger or Tiger II by Allied forces back in the war, shouted out the command.

  
"Fire!"

  
Simultaneously, the moment the Königstiger fired. The accompanied Panthers, Jagdpanther and the Jagdpanzer followed suit. All were trying to destroy one lone target which they all considered it was nothing but a failed product back in WW2.

  
However, at this very moment.

  
Its last stand.

  
Its finest moment had put all the Kuromorimine girls with both surprised and horrified.

  
True. The Porsche Tiger was a failure due to its engine, it could not even run before the start of the trial with Henschel Tiger which later became known as Tiger I.  
However, with its 88mm caliber tank gun liked Tiger I's. It had taken out two Jagdpanzers and a Panther who decided to get up close and personal to disable it, but the 200mm armor was remained true to its class as a heavy tank.

  
Shots after shots, Erika noticed that her tank group started to fire erratically. Shells were flying all over the stationary enemy tank, and even hitting their own friendly disabled tanks in the line of fire.

  
_This is not going anywhere!_

  
The Vice-Commander pressed two fingers onto her throat mic's buttons and spoke out to other tank commanders in her firm and clear voice to dismiss away their frustrated and negative thoughts.

  
"All tanks! All tanks! Prepare to fire your next round on my command. Try to aim at the gap between its hull and the turret. Aim at its turret ring!"

  
Kuromorimine tanks immediately halted their firing, and began to align their aiming scope properly at the suggested weak point of Porsche Tiger.

  
Once the Oorai team's Porsche Tiger fired its shell at the Königstiger which suffered no damage.

  
The Königstiger's commander cried out the command.

  
"FIRE!"

  
All Kuromorimine tanks fired at once.

  
Even though shells was sanctioned by the League in term of safety for the tank's crew inside, it was quite a visually explosion created by all five shells hitting at the same time.  
Soon, the Porsche Tiger finally succumbed to the damages and popped out a little white flag on top of its turret.

  
« The Porsche Tiger is immobilized! » reported one of panzers.

  
"Finally!" Erika exclaimed, raising herself up through the command hatch.

  
The surroundings were a mess, almost like a battlefield. Erika never thought that this failure could have been this successful in stopping her Königstiger, along with her tank group from joining the Kuromorimine's flag tank for a considerable amount of time.

  
Behind the disabled Porsche Tiger was a building known as Central Plaza, Erika could hear thundering shots and ongoing explosions.

  
_Miho…_

  
So she is really trying to take down Maho?

  
"Commander is in danger, we have got to help her! All tanks. Charge!" Erika called out. "Hurry up to the Central Plaza."

  
« The Porsche Tiger is in the way. We cannot get through! »

  
To Erika's realization. Even in dead, the Porsche Tiger was still fulfilling its duty.

  
"Quick! Get the recovery truck here now!" Erika ordered.

  
«« Nah, take your time! »»

  
The voices coming from the immobilized prototype Tiger was too mocking for Erika to hear.

  
"Commander!" Erika contacted via throat mic, hoping that she would get a reply. "Can you hear me, over?"

  
« … » Silence was the only thing she could hear.

  
"Vice-Commander. It's bad…They said that the recovery vehicle will be here in ten minutes..." said the radio operator.

  
"Shit!"

  
She slammed her fist hard on top of the turret's surface.

  
It was the final straw as a torrent of thoughts erupted like a volcano in her mind.

  
_This cannot be! This cannot be happening!_

  
The Kuromorimine, the most powerful and prestigious school of Sensha-do thanks to the long tradition and its principal of the Nishizumi Style. Now it's all falling apart by this…no-name school, they were supposed to be nothing!

  
Yet…at the early start of the match, when Erika Itsumi thought that she could have end this meaningless battle quickly with just one shot at the brown-colored Panzer IV Ausf. H, the enemy flag tank. By the mother of fate, something has had got into her way. A fucking Type-3 Chi-nu that never saw actual combat in real life suddenly became a heroic sacrifice, stopping her shell from killing their flag tank.

  
After that, it was that this hill battle. Erika had never been so frustrated and angry at the girls who were easily panicked and confused by that one little shit Hetzer infiltrated at their ranks and messed everything up, allowing the Ooarai tanks to escape through their encirclement.

  
Later on, Erika learned that all of their heavy-class tanks lost the mobility and speed against to those light and medium tanks on the field. They were far too slow, even her own tank's tracks got broke apart when she tried to pursuit them. Dammit! They expected to fight the Pravda, to get a certain revenge for what they did back in the 61st Tournament, not these **no-names!**

  
Lastly, to her most beyond wildest dream. The Maus, the most powerful trump card of Kuromorimine in the arsenal. The invincibility in term of armor protection and over the top of fire power that would have crush everything in its part was…defeated by them.

  
Now here they were, getting stuck in this demise situation, helplessly being held outside, unable to do anything to help, to reach out to their command flag tank.

  
_This is really happening…_

  
"No! Not like this! There has got to be a way..."

  
Then for some reason, her mind flashed back of how these Ooarai tanks have took out the Maus, by the most unusual method…

  
"Tank 6! Get over here." She called out to the Jagdpanzer.

  
« Vice-Commander. What do you want us to do? »

  
"Park right next to that Porsche Tiger and tank 12."

  
« E-eh? »

  
"Just do it!"

  
« H-hai! (Y-yes!) »

  
"Gunner." Erika said. "Rotate the turret 180 degree to the back."

  
"…Understood!"

  
« V-Vice-Commander. A-are you about to do what I think you are about to do? » The Jagdpanzer asked in a somewhat disbelief voice.

  
"Yes." She answered it flatly. "Get your asses out of the tank if you don't want to be get crush."

  
« Oi! Oi! You girls are serious?! » came the voice from the Porsche Tiger.

  
True enough, the crew of Jagdpanzer frantically bolted their butts out before the massive hunk of Königstiger rudely rolled on top of it, then over the hull of immobilized Panther and Tiger (P).

  
« You guys are being way too rough! » complained the voice.

  
"We'll be right there! Wait for us, Commander!"

  
« H-hold on, Eri—Vice-Commander. We are coming too. » said Koume Akaboshi, the commander of Panther followed the Königstiger in the same manner.

  
« Like I said. You guys are way too rough! »

  
It was a rough 'squeezing-in' indeed, no doubt their tank's paint job would need some buckets of paint to start over.

  
The Tiger II soon squeezed itself out of the terminal and proceeded to the main square.

  
"Come on. Come on! Can this thing go any faster?!" Erika urged the driver.

  
"I-I'm trying, Vice-Commander."

  
"I see her!" reported the gunner. "It's the Commander Nishizumi and...the Ooarai's flag tank!"

  
_Miho!_

  
"Push it, driver!" Erika shouted.

  
The Tiger II's speed started to accelerate considerably.

  
When they're just about to pass over the corner of the building, a shell was struck near to them.

  
"Halt, driver. Halt!" Erika yelled, bracing the sudden force forward by the momentum.

  
She decided that she must take out the Ooarai's flag tank from afar. If she joined in the dueling fray between them, who knew what would have happened.

  
"Vice-Commander, our flag tank is in the line of fire." said the gunner.

  
The cupola's vision blocks were limiting Erika's visual so she decided to put her head up through the hatch.

  
Erika really could not tell what had transpired on this plaza ground, the Tiger I, Kuromorimine's flag tank, was remained undamaged while the other, the brown-colored Panzer IV Ausf. H was damaged considerably from the visual. Still, the Panzer IV was remained operational.

  
One thing Erika could tell that this very ground was a fighting stage between the Nishizumi and…the Nishizumi, the two sisters bearing the same family name, and only one of them followed the true Nishizumi Style, while the other…was longed considered a false. Her style was nothing but contradicting to the Nishizumi Style teaching.

  
Yet, on this very ground, her own… Nishizumi Style was in play, which had led the whole Kuromorimine team by the nose to this very end.

  
_Miho…was she truly fighting out there? Didn't she already give up the Sensha-do, after what she had done last year, bringing shame and dishonor to everyone?_

  
The two tanks stopped momentary, having a certain block in between as a medium from stopping the 75mm and 88mm to shoot at each other, and it did the same to the Erika's Tiger II.

  
The battle was about to reach at its climax, she could feel it.

  
This will be the two sisters' decisive moment.

  
The stare down for a few seconds that was almost like a full minute…

  
Finally, the engine of Panzer IV roared up powerfully as it began to the approach to Tiger I.

  
The Panzer IV was much faster in term of speed and maneuvering than Tiger I. The Panzer IV fired first, scrapping over Tiger I's frontal armor's cheek. Tiger I fired back, tearing off the Panzer IV turret's spaced armor.

  
The tension was weighing on Erika's gunner as she tried to aim at the Panzer IV with 88mm 71 caliber tank gun.

  
What unexpectedly happened next was that the Panzer IV began to...drift over the hard pavement.

  
"Drif-it's drifting?!" The gunner exclaimed.

  
"Don't panic!" Erika yelled. "Keep the gun aim right behind our Commander's tank!"

  
This was Erika's gamble. For she predicted that with its momentum, the Panzer IV would stop right behind the Tiger I's rear.

  
She only needed one shot at this.

  
The friction between the Panzer IV's tracks and the pavement was so hard that sparks flew out everywhere to the point the Panzer's one-sided tread were snapped apart and little wheels came flying off.

  
"Prepare to fire on my command!"

  
_Almost there…the moment it stopped…we will fire the gun and immobilize that flag tank for good!_

  
_Wait for it…wait for it…_

  
_Almost… **THERE!**_

  
"Fi—!?"

  
Her voice suddenly ceased as if there's a hand wrapped around her throat so abruptly, but there was no one or anything to stop Erika from giving the command to her gunner to fire.

  
So what stopped her?

  
The eyes.

  
She saw her eyes.

  
It wasn't exactly that Miho, the Commander of Panzer IV had spotted Erika with her Tiger II's 88mm gun was aiming at her. In fact, Miho was so fixated on the Kuromorimine's flag tank that she probably wouldn't noticed anything else.

  
However, at that moment. Erika had saw them…she saw Miho's eyes, they were glinted with full resolved and determine.

  
_Those eyes...were the same. Just like that time…_

  
Unwillingly, her mind flashed back to the time when the sky was dark and it was raining.

  
It was cold. She remembered it.

  
Her whole body was shivering to its spine. She felt as heavy as she was drenched from head to toe liked a piece of rag…

  
She felt that she would die at that time, but she didn't. Erika remembered there's a warmness transferred to her, giving her an energy of life, by someone who bore a face which Erika never liked since the very first day she met her. A clumsy, indecisive girl who earned the Vice-Commander position at ease because of the family name she carried since birth.

  
_Miho..._

  
"Vice-Commander?!" The confused voice of the gunner had brought Erika back to the reality.

  
"!?"

  
The shot was awaiting on her command and it was too late for her to give.

  
Far too late.

  
The Ooarai's Panzer IV came to a stop right where it needed and fired its gun, so did the Kuromorimine's Tiger I.

  
...  
...

  
A moment passed, when the thick black smoke started to clear up as the fire was feeble away.

  
Silence filled up the atmosphere...and Erika saw it...

  
All of their efforts. All of their sacrifices of making this far...

  
The little white flag erected on top of their proud leading icon, Tiger I, was too much for a crude joke.

  
"No..."

  
**« KUROMORIMINE'S FLAG TANK HAS BEEN IMMOBILIZED. »**

  
**« THEREFORE, OOARAI GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL IS THE WINNER! »**

  
The announcement made by Chouno Ami, the referee of the match had Erika's heart sunk to some depth but she managed to climb out of her tank and approached close to her Commander who already walked away from the disabled Tiger.

  
"..."

  
"..."

  
There was no words exchange. Maho Nishizumi simply walked past Erika like she was invisible but for a brief moment, she saw her Commander...was showing a smile. It was faint yet genuine. Something that Erika wouldn't dream of it, given Maho always showed her stoic face all the time.

  
Maybe it simply proved that how Miho was special to her...

  
"We did it, Miporin!"  
"We have won the battle."  
"We won!"  
"Hmm."

  
The crew of Panzer IV came out from their hatches as one of them hugged Miho with tears in her eyes.

  
"…"

  
Sighing lightly, Erika removed the black field cap off her head and quietly returned to her tank.

  
_In the end, you really didn't give up the Sensha-do hah, Miho?_

  
________________________________________

  
**-Late afternoon-**

  
The after-match operation ended well as Kuromorimine had recovered back of all their disabled tanks (although with some difficulties by the tanks' weight, particularly with the Maus and the Jagdtiger, particularly with the Jagdtiger which had 'flipped' itself upside down in the dried canal. It was quite a field day for those recovery trucks).

  
"Everyone is accounted for, Commander." Erika reported.

  
"Uhm."

  
With Maho's nod, Erika then climbed on the Krupp-Protze's driver seat. When she's about to start the engine, she heard the voice.

  
"Onee-chan."

  
_There she is, the same old Miho. Just like the first time I saw her...or was it?_

  
Erika couldn't help but noticed there was a huge different between then and now. Miho…had changed, she showed more confidently and more…radiant than before, full of light and liveliness.

  
Maybe her eyes was playing trick or maybe it's because of this bright sunset.

  
Even though Miho was still showing signs of nervous toward her own sister. Maho eased the tension with these resigned, yet graceful words.

  
"Congratulation on your victory. You have beaten us soundly." Then came the handshake.

  
Erika noticed that behind Miho, there stood four girls, the crew of Panzer IV. The ones who have fought alongside her, supported her…probably since the beginning, long before when both parties first encountered at that tank-themed café.

  
_They sure look concerned. Can't blame them for my previous attitude._

  
_You have good friends this time, Miho..._

  
"Onee-chan. I have found it. My own Sensha-do."

  
_Yeah, truly. It was her own Sensha-do alright. Driving every single one of us crazy with your tactic, especially with that Hetzer._

  
"Next time!" Erika called out, loud enough for everyone to hear. "We won't lose next time. It's a promise!"

  
Stunning for a moment but the short-haired brunette soon smiled and replied happily.

  
"Hai!"

________________________________________

  
On the way back to their school carrier, beside the running engine and the vibration coming from Krupp-Protze, the atmosphere was quiet, strangely quiet, contrasting to the loud booming of spectators' cheer and the announcing of the winner of the 63rd National High School Sensha-do Tournament at the back.

  
"Erika." Maho called out.

  
"Yes?"

  
"Your words back there. Nicely said."

  
Maho's compliment did not make Erika blush with embarrassed, instead a sense of sadness appeared across her face.

  
"Everyone." The Commander of Kuromorimine Sensha-do team turned to the girls. "It was always hard to accept such defeat, but once you admitted it. You will learn from it and strive on to succeed on the next time."

  
"But…but you Commander." Erika said, a bit shakily. "You have taken us along this far."

  
"We were...no, I wanted us to become champions...TOGETHER!" Holding the wheel weakly, the light blond haired burst out her desire for everyone to hear.

  
"Erika-san...please let me take over the wheel." Sitting on the passenger's seat next to Erika was Koume, whose eyes was also tearful, just like everyone sitting at the back.

  
The light blond haired simply kept her face down, she could not hold these tears for any longer.

  
"Erika..."

  
Erika could no longer hear any word since she was crying her heart out.

  
  
________________________________________

  
**« WINNER! OOARAI GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL! »**

  
Standing out far from after-match ceremony in the measurable distance where naked eyes could hardly see. There stood a woman dressed in black jodhpurs which was her own very icon in the meeting with other people, along with her overwhelming authority severe expression that would easily drive anyone away.

  
Shiho Nishizumi was her name, she was the Headmistress of Kuromorimine High School, the master of the Nishizumi Style of Sensha-do and the mother of Miho and Maho.

  
At this very moment, she did something that no one could have dream she would do.

  
She clapped.

  
She clapped her hands for the victory of her daughter, Miho, the one who she intended to disinherit her when she had not accepted the Nishizumi Style to the heart and brought the failure and shame from the last year tournament.

  
However, today, this fight, this battle. Miho's own Nishizumi Style had Shiho thinking.

  
May be it was time to change. No such thing was eternal.

  
Rock will eventually worn away by the water. Maybe it was time for her to accept the reality…

  
"Madam."

  
Behind Shiho Nishizumi was her long trusted servant in the Nishizumi household, Kikuyo Idegami. One Shiho might considered her as a friend.

  
"With this I wonder, if there would be a fresh wind for the Nishizumi Style. And if so, does that mean the old will be replaced and the continuing of keeping the tradition shall no longer?"

  
The Kuromorimine Headmistress said nothing, however, there was a small grin formed on her face.

  
"We're coming back."

  
"Yes, madam."

 


	2. Self-reflection (First Half)

**Kuromorimine School Carrier – Kuromorimine Girls High School – Main Sheds**

"We are about to be chewed out so bad, aren't we?"

"What else do you think? This is the second lost for Kuromorimine. Nevertheless, we are even lost to… _her_ …"

"The Headmistress will eat us alive..."

On the training ground, before the main sheds where all mighty German war machines stored in, was all the members of Kuromorimine Team composing of first-year, second-year and third-year members stood in file and ranks.

From the first glance among the members, none of them was seemed too depressed about the yesterday defeat since there was a new rising fear among them and a certain…distraction.

"The senpais seem are having worse than us." said a first-year member.

"Yeah…They looked they came straight out of hell or something."

"Having PTSD is no joke…"

"That stupid pre-war light tank, even in sleep." said Mauko, the Maus commander whose mind was rather absent. "I can still heard their laughing and mocking at us…"

"Hetzer gotta Hetz…hee…heehee…"

"Hehehe…hehehe…"

The gloomy Ritaiko, the Jagdpanther Commander and the somewhat unhinged Panther commander, Geshiko. Despite standing in formation, their little dark laughter successfully created a considerable gap between them and the others.

"…Haahh…" Sangou, the glasses-wearing commander of Panzer III let out a sigh heavily.

"…Ughh…"

Needlessly to say, the Kuromorimine girls' morale was not good.

**"ACHTUNG!"**

Immediately, everyone stood to attention as the Headmistress of Kuromorimine, also the master of the Nishizumi Style, walked up the stand with a microphone in her hand. Her dark brown eyes did not meet directly to any pair of eyes since they're either deliberately leveled straight to the stand's legs or down to their own feet.

Will it be the scolding? Or the wrath?

It was the imaginative fear formed in everyone mind.

Many gulped down their saliva out of nervous or took a deep breath as they were all braced for it.

« Good morning, everyone. » She greeted.

« As you all have known, this year national tournament...was indeed a disappointment. Not only have we lost to Ooarai, a certain no-name school which had its own Sensha-do club shut down for 20 years, only to restart its program just a few months back and earn the championship. »

Everyone was grimaced, swallowing their saliva harder.

« However, that doesn't mean I do not deny everyone's effort. You girls have fought bravely, and royal to the faults of the Nishizumi Style. For that, I congratulate you. »

That was…unexpected. The girls looked at each other, puzzling if they heard it right.

The Headmistress's tone was somewhat sad, but not that angry or outraged about the Kuromorimine's defeat. This began to bring the Kuromorimine girls' faces back up, seeing the head figure properly.

Among the confusion from the girls about their Headmistress's behavior, Erika Itsumi was seemed to be the only one who questioned specifically about her words.

_The faults…of the Nishizumi Style?_

« Erika Itsumi. »

"Y-yes!?" Erika's heart skipped a beat when her name was called.

« Your quick thinking of using the Jagdpanzer as a stepping stone for your tank to cross over that Porsche Tiger's barricade was rather...barbaric, unlike anything that Kuromorimine has taught. »

This caused some snorts among the girls, however, most of them was too overwhelmed by the Headmistress's presence so the atmosphere was remained stiff silent.

« But it was certainly…unique. It's like your own Sensha-do. »

"My own...Sensha-do?"

« I hope you girls take this lesson to the heart and do continue to strive harder for the next year tournament. »

There was a silent for a few seconds, but everyone then spoke out one word unanimously.

**““"HAI! (YES!)””"**

« That will be all. Dismiss. »

Before Erika could have dismiss along with the rest, she noticed Maho was signaling for her to come.

"Commander?"

"Erika, we need to talk to you. Please come by to the Headmistress's office."

Looking behind Maho's shoulder, there stood the most powerful figure of Kuromorimine, needlessly to say, the master of Nishizumi Style.

Would she had a say no in this?

...

...

When the girls have walked far enough from the Headmistress and their commander, Maho, the chatters started going off like an ON switch.

"Wow…that was…that wasn't so bad…"

"Yeah…but I don't know…the headmistress is seemed…different for some reason…"

"Different…yeah. Usually she would…you know?"

"Uhm."

"'Strive harder for the next year tournament…'" A girl quoted the Headmistress's words, realizing something. "But around that time, Commander Nishizumi then would already be…"

~0~

**– Headmistress Office –**

The room was already chilled thanks to the air conditioner, but the news Erika received by Shiho was… _shivering_ to the bone.

"M-me? As a new **_Commander_** ** _?!_** " Erika exclaimed while pointing a finger at herself.

"Calm down, Erika. It's already a norm, isn't it?" Standing next to Erika, Maho calmly said.

"I-I know…but it's never official, till now…" In a way, Erika expected that she would be given the overall command at some point in the future but not right now. Her heart and mind were not readied!

"Hm? You forgot? I have already told you back then, yesterday. On the way back to the school carrier."

Erika recollected about yesterday, it was pretty ugly and embarrassed for her to show that particular side…and yes, she vaguely remembered that Maho has spoken something after Erika confessed her desire to become the champions.

"…"

_...I was totally crying back there. How the hell could I have known?_

The Headmistress remained her impassive expression, waiting for her reply.

_This isn't good. I'm totally not readied for this…_

"B-but what about…Koume Akaboshi?"

"You must be jest." Shiho said, almost letting out a laughter. "That girl could barely hold the leash of a German Shepherd, let alone commanding the whole tank battalion."

"…"

_What would a German Shepherd has anything to do in this? What about the alligator? Would I try to put my whole lower body into its jaws?!_

The ridiculous thought remained sealed behind her lips.

"But of course, Koume Akaboshi is doing well on her own term, and for that, she will be the next Vice-Commander, taking over your former position."

"And what about…eh…well…"

Erika wanted to suggest someone else, however, there was no other name popped up in her mind.

"You're certainly different today, Erika." Maho remarked. "I thought you would take it without hesitation. After all, you have done it for the Vice-Commander's position."

_That's because I only wanted to be close with you, Commander!_

Again, the thought remained sealed behind her lips.

"Come on, did you forget the promise you have made with Miho?"

When Maho reminded it, she soon remembered those words of confidence.

"Ah right..."

_It was really just on my impulse…_

"Putting the commander thing aside…Listen to me, Erika Itsumi." The Headmistress leaned forward with her elbows rested on the table while her hands…oh god! The fingers…they clasped together!

"After that battle with Ooarai. I have realized that…our way…the Nishizumi Style is…falling behind."

_Eh?_

"H-headmistress? What are you—"

"Let me finish."

Erika promptly shut her mouth.

"We…need to change. The Nishizumi Style…needs to be changed. And to my conclusion, that you, Erika Itsumi. _You_ will be the one to do it."

_Eh?_

_Ehhh?_

_EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!_

Despite Erika's best put up poker face, her mind was going off crazy.

_Wha…what…what is going on?! Me as a new Commander is one thing but this is…_

_The Master of the Nishizumi Style is asking...me, an outsider to change her very art of Sensha-do?!_

_Was the defeat with Ooarai had made her gone cuckoo or something?!_

Erika didn't have a minute to form a proper thinking as the Headmistress of Kuromorimine continued.

"Looking at your score board, you're always aced. But to me, I see…there was something…holding you back. I could not pin point what it is. But after that battle with Ooarai…with Miho."

The name was spoken softly.

"I finally realized that the Nishizumi Style is in need to be changed." She repeated the fact.

"The Nishizumi Style is having you trained in advancing and precise attack while maintaining the perfect formation. It was the root for Kuromorimine strategy. At the cost…it did not train you to counter the…unexpected situation."

"Rigid and inflexible, the Kuromorimine's strategy was. And it was _broke apart_ , done _splendidly_ by that Hetzer."

_Again with that Hetzer. This is becoming a 'thing', isn't it?_

"Follow to the urban warfare, I saw the formation has been compromised. Being divided and ambushed by Ooarai's light and medium tanks. Our heavy tanks certainly stood fast to those unconventional attacks but what the girls responded to those attacks afterward was. Unpleasantly, to what I saw, inside those tanks, _our_ tanks…were simply a bunch of kids who easily got riled up by those childish provocations."

"…" It's true, in Erika's mind. Almost every single one of them, even her, was easily distracted by those Ooarai's attacks liked mosquitoes hanging over their ears.

If they were at full force coming at Ooarai's flag tank only, they might have a chance of winning. But in the end, the pride and ego have got the better hold of them. Heavy tank destroyer liked Jagdtiger or Elefant was not presented when they are needed and they were _somehow_ got immobilized by a single Ooarai's tank.

"Hit the target when you fire, let your defenses be of iron, and advance in perfect order." She spoke the words liked a quote, prompted Erika to realize.

_Those words are…the way of Nishizumi Style!_

"The Nishizumi Style…was supposed to be a perfect consonance, graced in advancing, never looks back or show any hesitate in making the sacrifice in order to achieve victory. But I see how it has become a…double-edged sword."

"Retreat was never an option, and this resulted in Maho making a duel against the Ooarai's flag tank…that ended in her defeat."

"But surely Mah—I mean, Commander Nishizumi has learned greatly from it. Certainly she would make a huge change in the strategy?"

"…" The named person remained her silence.

"Maho…had been long imprinted by my teaching. Asking her to change that at this moment…it would be difficult, and the time for Maho to stay in school is running short. You, on the other hand, still have plenty of time. And you have practiced the Nishizumi Style with…acceptable results. You took the Sensha-do seriously more than anyone...even my daughters..."

"?"

"That is why, Erika Itsumi. I'm entrusting this… _new_ future of Kuromorimine onto your hands. And in order to achieve this, I shall not intervene with your…future affairs to the Nishizumi Style by any means."

_Mein Gott, is this really happening?_

"But of course, there're lots of things we would need to discuss between us in the future."

Erika wanted to say no. It's too much for her little heart to handle. If she said no…if she said no… ** _Nein!_** She can't say **_no_** before the Head figure of Kuromorimine!?

"...What about…Commander Nishizumi?" Erika turned to Maho, a person who she had admired for long. Imagining that she would no longer be there was...

"I will perform the advisor role to you Erika. But remember, the decisions are yours and yours alone. No one will have the second opinion."

"…" Erika turn to the Headmistress again.

The two Nishizumis' pairs of eyes were looking at her with full seriousness.

This was a _real_ deal.

Erika began to feel a certain…dizziness.

"I don't know…it just seems…there are lot of responsibilities are riding on me at the moment." Erika massaged the back of her head while looking down at her feet.

"Do not freight Erika." Maho gently placed a hand on Erika's shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere yet till the end of the school's year."

There's a genuine smile appeared on Maho's face, something that Erika would love to take out her phone and capture it right away! Unfortunately, her mother was there…

"Commander Nishizumi…" Her face felt a bit hot.

Maho shook her head lightly.

"The commander is **_you_** now, Erika."

_Oh boy…_

This wasn't good for Erika as her dizziness was starting to get worse. She needed to get out of here fast before she do something stupid.

"I'm sorry…I really need…a moment to sort this out. If you’ll excuse me."

After bowing to both Nishizumi, Erika hurriedly made to the door.

~0~

When the office's door was closed, Shiho turned to Maho.

"You are looking forward to this, aren't you?"

"Mother?"

"No need to put up that icy façade anymore, Maho. I'm your mother. I can at least tell what's on your mind."

Unconsciously, Maho's both hands were clenched tight.

"...The Nishizumi Style was never your top priority. It was your sister, Miho. From the beginning."

It was a bull eye.

Like a reindeer caught in the headlights, Maho was showing it as clear as day.

"…Y-yes mother…" Maho sighed, figuring that she'd already knew it for some time.

Because of her action, her opinion, especially in that semi-final match when Miho's team was cornered by the Pravda. She convinced her mother to stay and watch the match till the end. Even when her mother dismissed Miho's win as a mere luck, Maho immediately voiced in that it was Miho's sheer skill, not by chance.

"…"

"…"

Both remained their silence, awkward in a way. In the past, the things the two could have talk about were solely the Sensha-do or things relating to Kuromorimine.

_I've done it._

Shiho thought.

_There’s no turning back now._

"To be honest, I have never thought that…Nishizumi Style could have been faulted by…Miho." Shiho spoke as her daughter remained quiet.

"Her unconventional tactics, her Sensha-do style was nothing but a heresy…"

"However, that final match…what she has done. It really have showed that I was an old fool, wasn't I?"

She let out a sigh, almost like a laugh. It truly surprised Maho.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Maho. I have always love you two as my daughters. But with the responsibilities of a Nishizumi…they're…demanding. A lot."

A long sigh was made as her eyes closed shut.

"To the point I didn't realize…how far cry we have become than from what we should have **_been_** …"

The stern face which Shiho always showed was not appeared in this room, it was replaced by a rather…soft and sad. Like a mother who was always concerned about so many things.

"I was...wrong…"

"!?"

It really shook Maho.

_Is this really happening?_

The same question appeared in a certain mind now had appeared in hers...

"At that final match, the 62nd one. When Miho decided to abandon her flag tank to save the crew."

"It was a wrong choice, to Nishizumi Style. But, to everyone's heart. It was the morally right choice."

"And she had done it again…saving her Ooarai teammates from the river."

A small smile appeared on Shiho's face. Something that Maho would love to take out her phone and capture it right away! Unfortunately, it was her mother…

"Her fighting style sure is something…and it brings me back some memories and feeling that I have long forgot."

"Like the first time firing the cannon?"

"…Like the first time firing the cannon."

"…"

"…"

Without a warning, both mother and daughter chuckled lightly at the same time.

This was…amazing, to Maho. Never had she ever dreamed that she and her mother would come to such a moment. Ah...she really wanted to capture her mother's smiling face and send it to Miho…

Suddenly, to Maho's realization, there was something she needed to ask about.

"Mother. About Miho's disinheritance…was it a lie? Or it was some sort of…driving force for Miho to win the Pravda?"

"…"

"…"

The answer didn't come immediately.

A moment of silence passed by until…

"No."

The head of Nishizumi family shook her head lightly. "It was _truly_ my intention to disinherit her."

Maho's expression remained impassive but her eyes were not.

_Where is she going with this?!_

"If we want to keep Miho free from this Nishizumi's burden…we must…have to let her go. That's what you always wanted, right? For her to be free."

"…"

It was true, by her mother's words. Nishizumi Style always demanded the iron will and the selfless sacrifice. Miho's heart was too kind for it.

"Mother…are you going to tell Miho about this?"

The long-haired woman shook her head again.

"…not yet."

Figured, Maho sighed.

"But when that time comes, I will talk to her. Face to face."

"..."

It was enough, Maho accepted it and hoped that time would come soon…for the two of them.

"To be honest, I once considered about summoning Miho back once you are graduated. But that would be hard to imagine...seeing Miho to take over the commanding role of Kuromorimine again."

 _That would be difficult indeed_. Maho thought the same.

"Miho has her own way of Sensha-do, mother. And she is blessed with her...friends in Ooarai."

"And Erika? She seemed always depending on you."

"Erika is still young, mother. Despite her occasionally acted on impulse and outburst, she has a collected mind of a tactician during the crisis situation. Because of the way of Nishizumi Style, she has no choice but choose to keep advancing rather taking another way to go around it. If this changing is allowed to be, then she is your best bet for the… ** _new_** Kuromorimine when I'm gone."

"'Best bet'…you're sounded just like _him_."

Those words were rather surprised and puzzled Maho.

"Uhm…Who, mother?" Maho asked.

The headmistress did not answer as she rested her back fully on the leather chair with a resigned sigh while looking out the window.

"Really, that foolish man and your father are always the spanners in the works."

~0~

In the school's hallway, Koume Akaboshi was almost stumbled into a uniformed girl who abruptly passed by if she has not halted herself quickly enough.

"Erika-san?"

The said person didn't stop her moving feet as she continued and take a turn by the corner.

"What's wrong, Koume-san?" asked her classmate.

"It's…nothing."

Maybe it's her imagination but she'd never seen Erika was ever this flustered before. Something must had happened.

~0~

She walked, walked and walked. It didn't matter where. She simply wanted to hide herself! Anywhere was fine, as long as nobody could see her in this state.

Unbeknown to her, Erika had walked into one of the school's abandoned block for the future renovation. There was no one else here but her.

It was bad. Her chest wanted to explode.

She quickly entered through a random door and shut it behind.

"Haa…haa…hahaha…"

She comforted herself by a self-hugging, but she was no longer able to suppress the erupting feeling inside.

She let it all out.

"Hahaha…HAHAHA- **HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!** "

It wasn't a chuckle. It was a full blown belly laugh. A source of sound would bring everyone hair stand on end. Fortunately for her, no one was nearby.

_Are you kidding me? Me as a commander?! Is this some sort of April fool or something?!_

Too bad, Erika remembered that this month was August so it would be long for the next 1st April to arrive.

If she was remained to be an XO or even a simple demoted grunt all the way till the school graduation, she would be A-OK with it. However, being granted with such power and responsibilities...This was really beyond her pay-grade (if she was getting paid).

"Please tell me this is a dream or something..."

A full minute passed by, all Erika did was performing the inhale-exhale slowly.

She then began to register properly to the surroundings as she saw there were many old rusty lockers lined up by the wall.

This was a locker room, she identified.

_This locker room sure looks familiar…wait a minute…this is the one we have used during our first year._

It sure brought back the memory. The very first day she enrolled into Kuromorimine. She admired everything that Kuromorimine has on hand. From its behemoth-sized school carrier to tanks.

She remembered how in glee she was when she saw Maho Nishizumi with her own eyes. And how she had saw _her_ …for the first time.

A clumsy, shy-looking girl who was rather out of place.

What was she doing in Kuromorimine, a place where it represented the champions and the power of the Nishizume Style?

Who could have thought that she was actually Commander’s little sister? And when that girl received the Vice-Commander role?

Erika could not accept it.

A challenge between her and Miho was made. The match deciding who would be the new Vice-Commander of Kuromorimine.

"Thinking back…I was really childish and short-tempered, wasn't I?"

Erika quietly walked inside the spacious room and stopped in front of one particular locker, it's Miho’s locker.

Here, in this room, on this very spot. An event had happened here. Something that nobody would have known, not even her own Commander nor the Headmistress. It was after that match…

_'TEAM ITSUMI-ROU WINS!'_

Erika Itsumi, along with the help of her childhood friend, Leila Rou. They've won against Miho, _somehow_ …

To Erika's disbelief, during the match, there were at least two greatest chances for Miho, who was commanding Panzer II, could have landed a kill onto Erika's Pz. 35(t), and somehow she had missed them all.

In the end, the position of Vice-Commander was still being held by Miho because Erika had acknowledged her commanding skill.

However, the question of how could Miho have missed was too large for Erika to ignore.

It was in this very room, where Erika decided to comfort Miho about it. And Miho's answer?

_'It would be alright…to my losing. Someone other than me should be deserved more to become the Vice-Commander.'_

Erika was really shaken when she learned that Miho actually threw the match. Was it for her sake? Or for **her own** sake?

Nevertheless, Erika would never know and never truly learn about it when she made that slap on her out of frustration and insulted.

"..."

Looking at the very hand Erika had used to commit the act, she let out another heavy sigh.

_That time when I slapped her. Truly stupid. Me and her…we're so stupid back then…or was it just me?_

Wordlessly, Erika against her back to the lockers and slowly settle herself down on the very spot where the former Vice-Commander was fell upon the slap.

"…what should I do?"

…

…

Unbeknown to Erika, outside the locker room, there stood a student who had heard Erika's voice and soft crying.

"…"

She stood there for a moment before she decided to walk away.

 


	3. Self-reflection (Second Half)

' _Nishizumi Style needs to be changed. And to my conclusion, that you, Erika Itsumi. You will be the one to do it.'_

' _The commander is **you** now, Erika.'_

She could not sleep. The words from both Nishizumis were still echoing in her mind.

It was in the late evening, everything was too quiet. She alone inside her dormitory room.

Sighing heavily, she decided to get up from her bed and approached to her laptop.

Hopefully some gentle music and a video about alligators would put her mind at ease to sleep.

As Erika was surfing the videos about alligators, she started to wonder how this of her unusual liking of crocodilian had started.

Probably it was that one time when she was quite young, she and her family visited this certain safari park.

She remembered how she was amazed when seeing all kinds of wild lives, from elephants, tigers, panthers (the real _living_ ones) to giraffes, rhinos and so on. And it was then she saw them, alligators. Strange intimidated-looking creatures that was twenty-times larger than a little lizard, clad themselves with rounded-tip points all over the back of their body.

The alligators, which her father had pointed out what they are, were all concentrated in one large muddy pool. She recalled there's an activity, something called…feeding the alligators.

It was liked fishing, instead of using little baits like shrimps or so. They're using a piece of raw meat, like a steak.

Erika and her older sister, together they held that fishing pole, descending that piece of meat onto the alligator's upper jaw.

In just a blink of an eye, the raw meat was snapped away by the alligator's powerful jaws. Erika remembered how the two of them immediately let go of the fishing pole and went with a high pitch scream from the top of their lungs. It was surely frightening, but at the same time, it gave her the most wonder sense of exhilarating, similar to the first time she did the Sensha-do, drove the Panzer 35(t) and fired its main gun.

Maybe that excited feeling was how it led to her started to collecting the documentaries about alligators, the toys and key chains resembling them.

After she finished one video clip about these daring predator hunters tried to subjugate a wild alligator on someone's backyard, she noticed at the bottom of the right column of videos.

There was one video displayed a title which immediately drawn in her attention: [Ooarai vs Saunders match - Ooarai's first win.]

Erika's mind soon recalled that it was the Ooarai's first match against the Saunders University High and how it had went…unexpectedly.

That moment when Ooarai tanks took down a first Sherman tank. It truly surprised her, but at the same time, there was a sense of…glad. That Miho was commanding her team properly.

Afterward was how that little rusty bucket Type 89 had found the Saunders' flag tank by accident and they began the so-called comically chase, something that she had never saw before in any match at all.

Then that one shot marked the very first victory of Ooarai.

At the time, Erika did not realize that the Saunders had pull up a trick up in their sleeve during the match, using the radio intercepting balloons. The deed was conducted by one of their lieutenants named Alisa, someone who she mentally took note of if they'd face them in the future.

Kay, the Captain of Saunders team apologized for her lieutenant's said action but Miho humbly said that if the Saunders have brought all of their tanks, they would certainly lose.

' _But we didn't and you didn't._ ' That was Kay's certain reply to Miho's words, defining her own sportsmanship, the Sensha-do of the Saunders.

' _What a naïve thing to say.'_

Those words were what Erika had commented on Kay's sportsmanship.

_Was it? Or was I the one being naïve?_

On that same day, in the late afternoon, Erika recalled she and her Commander wanted to greet them…for some reason, she really forgot why. And when they came close to Miho and her team, they overheard that one of their family members has been admitted to a hospital.

Sympathy was given but what Commander did was truly astonished her. What she did was granting them a helicopter ride to the hospital.

' _This is Sensha-do too.'_

Those spoken words of Commander was imprinted at the back of her mind.

When she recalled how she had raised her voice in protesting.

It was…a shame.

She felt so ashamed.

How her heart had tighten back then, and even now.

"…"

She slowly moved the pointer onto another clip about Ooarai's matches and clicked it.

The match with Anzio.

Erika remembered she and Maho, neither has joined the spectators to watch this match. In a way, she expected that Ooarai would have it easy because Anzio solely used the tankettes. The P40 was a rare sight though, first time she was seeing it. But their after-match celebration? Boi, if they decided to save some money for the tank instead, it would be much better. Guess their Sensha-do was: Pasta is love, pasta is life.

Moving on.

The match with Pravda.

Erika considered the Pravda was the Kuromorimine's nemesis. For long, they're always the runner up during the prime of Kuromorimine, nine years winning streak. Until the 62nd final, it changed everything…

She recalled she didn't go to watch it with Maho because she was preoccupied with something (or more like when she heard that Shiho would come along, she bolted).

The Pravda still used the same tactic for many years: lured enemy into a trap, then make a pincer movement.

Erika thought that Miho would be more careful about this...maybe the fault was lied on her tank group who rather attacked aggressively.

What Erika really hated about Pravda was that they granted the opponents a period of ceasefire to make a decision of surrendering. If it's up to her, that match would have ended long ago.

But it was a great chance for Ooarai to fix their damaged tank...although...that dance...what in the devil name was that dance _??_

"..." Erika really didn't know how to feel about this so she just fast-forwarded it.

After that weird group dance, the Ooarai attacked head on the Pravda's thickest defend line and broke through successfully.

Miho's skill at quick adapt and change tactic quickly in the situation once again amazed her, just like she had done back in her years in Kuromorimine.

It was then Erika had realized that…at the end of every match, Miho's fighting style and her charisma had drawn the friendliness among those rivals.

None held any bitter grudge from their defeat.

_Even me…_

One more click on another video, the quality of this video was bad because it was recorded by someone's phone. But the content of it…had Erika laughed.

Something that would brought Kuromorimine's Intelligent Department to shame, because the clip Erika watched was a clip about the Ooarai's maiden match with St. Gloriana.

"My god, look at what they did with their tanks…haha…"

Erika loved how they picked up the camouflage idea and just threw it out of the window.

Erika was very amused but then she started to get frustrated of how these Ooarai girls, so disorganized and happy-triggered at every moment, missed every shot, even at point-blank range! And somehow… **somehow** they've became the most fearsome recognizable force among every school and earned their respect.

And boy oh boy. That decisive drifting move yesterday? It had been performed much earlier.

Maybe they would have a chance if the flag tank was her Tiger II, not Tiger I.

"Or maybe we should have bought a Churchill and used it as a flag tank instead…"

She massaged the temple of her head, laughing out for such a silly idea.

Then the final clip.

The match with Kuromorimine…

So many _cringing_ moments she did not want to remember. However, there was one thing she would like to check again.

She fast-forwarded the video to one specific moment, the moment that defined Miho's _own_ Nishizumi Style.

The moment when the whole Ooarai team stopped in the middle of river because of M3 Lee’s engine problem.

With a common sense, what the Commander normally would do was to leave them and move on.

It wasn't that hard to sacrifice one for the sake of many…however…Miho would have none of that.

Once again, she repeated the same thing she had done back in the 62nd final match, Miho exited out of her tank and started jumping across other tanks to reach to the M3 Lee.

_In the end, Miho, you still walk on your own path._

_Unlike me…I…_

_Spoke to you with those…insult, hurtful words._

She casted her eyes down away from the laptop's bright screen, the room wasn't well-lighted at all so there was like a form of darkness shrouded around her…

Erika was staring at down at it, at her very own abyss…recalling those words…

' _Vice-Commander? Oh, the **former**. I mean.'_

' _Don't show us another pathetic battle, and don't try to sully the reputation of the Nishizumi Style any longer.'_

' _For such a bunch of ragtag, never thought you can lead them like that.'_

' _Don't get cocky just because you got here by fluke.'_

' _Just watch. I will smash your heresy.'_

_I couldn't even say it. A word of thank…_

_If not thanks to Koume, who had gathered her own courage to speak to Miho. How else would Miho gain such courage, against all odds…to do that again?_

She replayed the moment of Miho saving the M3 Lee.

Again.

Again.

Again and again. To the point that the flashback of this very scene was crystal clear, seeing through by her binoculars.

' _She is as naïve as always. Her naïveté is going to cost them their victory.'_

**_NO!_ **

Unconsciously, Erika's balled fist slammed hard onto the table.

"I am the naïve one! I was the one who had cost us our victory!" She squeezed out those words in a hoarse voice.

_Just like that time…_

' _But that route is dangerous…and it's too narrowed for our tanks to maneuver.'_

' _Is that you all have to say? Remember, you are **a** Nishizumi. Always advance, never retreat. That's our motto. Keep your head in the game, **Vice** -Commander.'_

In that last tournament, the 62nd…she was the one who convinced Miho to take that certain route in hope to flank the Pravda's main force.

And at what stake? Her very life and her crew when their Panzer III was hit by Pravda's ambush, causing the tank to slide down toward to the strong current river.

The inside of the tank turned upside down, making everyone fell overboard to one side, completely disorientated. Unable to reach out for the hatch to open as the water flowing in.

**_Was this a punishment for my selfish arrogant?_ **

**_So be it!_ **

She accepted it, if she was to be drowned, **so be it!**

As long as the victory for Kuromorimine is certain.

...

...

...

In the end, they were saved.

 _She_ was saved.

By none other than Miho.

_'You idiot...why...'_

_'...it's because I'm your Vice-Commander.'_

Those were her words, with her determine eyes. The very same eyes she had shown back at the fight against Maho.

Again, the table suffered another fist slamming.

Erika did not notice her own tears were dropping from her chin rapidly.

"Damn it, Miho…why did you have to leave…"

It was a long passing night for Erika to even realize that she's already fallen asleep on the table at some point.


	4. A New Wind

**Kuromorimine School Carrier – Kuromorimine Girls High School – Sensha-do Training Grounds**

Shutting off the engine of the Kübelwagen, Erika who was the only occupant of vehicle moved to the back seats so she can lie down like on a bed.

"Me as the Commander hah…?" Erika muttered, looking at the light blue sky with slow moving clouds absently.

The thought of Nishizumis' words and the same question asking to herself were still dwelling in her mind.

It has been 2 days since the last talk with the Headmistress and Commander Nishizumi, and Erika still hasn't gave her proper respond about it.

After the morning drill, the girls had earned themselves the rest of day off, much to everyone delight. Most of them formed into many groups to go to café or to mall for shopping. As for Erika, she decided to have some time alone by herself as she situated comfortably in the Kubelwagen while still wearing the Sensha-do uniform.

The Training Grounds wasn't exactly occupied with silence. Some girls decided to take their own tank out for some more practice or engine maintenance run so Erika could heard roaring engines by a distance.

_Who would have thought…no. Maybe I should have expected it but still…_

Another heavy sigh escaped.

The shades cast by the tree's branches and leaves brought Erika a sense of relax, making her eyes slowly closed. Erika allowed her conscious to be drifted away to some wonder dream…

Without a warning, a loud metallic snapping yet familiar sound promptly opened Erika's eyes.

Relatively near to her position, there was a running Jagdtiger painted in sand color like other Kuromorimine tanks, unlike the maroon-colored one they had used in the final. To Erika's knowledge, this massive hunk of metal based on the Tiger II's chassis was the heaviest armoured fighting vehicle ever built (contradicting to some beliefs that Jagdtiger was a tank but in reality, its true class was a tank destroyer).

With its casemate armor was 250mm thick, 150mm on the hull and 80mm on the side and rear, along with the powerful 128mm gun. No tank would dare to charge at it head on foolishly.

Erika could have accepted that it would be out of the game due to its engine problem or the treads snapped (a certain plague hanging all over the Kuromorimine tanks) like it did just now. But once again, those Ooarai girls have proved her wrong…

"Ah-moo! The tracks are off again. Do the guys fix this properly?" Members of the Jagdtiger soon climbed out to check the damage.

"Forget about that. We better tell the Chief to check the transmission again. The shifting gear is much rougher than the last one we drove."

"If it wasn't for that Lee tank…"

For some reason, Erika noticed there was a sudden expression shifted from anger to grimace among the crew.

"Ugh! Please don't mention those _killer rabbits_ again…"

"…Uhm."

"..."

_Is it just me or something is..._ **_odd_ ** _here..._

Erika decided to make the approach to the Jagdtiger's crew.

"Is everyone alright?" She asked.

"V-Vice-Commander!" Immediately, they snapped to attention with a hand salute.

"We are fine! Thank you for asking."

To be honest, Erika wasn't comfortable with this. Even though she had a certain rank to overpower everyone in term of authority but the girls before her were third years, meaning they're Erika's senpais.

However, Kuromorimine was virtuous for its discipline, valuing the skill and rank above so the age wouldn't have anything to do with its dictate. This was applied to Erika own crewmen as well, who were also her senpais.

"A-at ease."

So they did, then a voice came from inside the Jagdtiger.

"You know. You could have said something like: 'Oh no, please don't! You are my senpais so I couldn't possibly let you do the saluting all the time'."

Popping out of the command hatch, there revealed a beautiful graceful woman with a long auburn hair and a pair of silver eyes.

"Hi Erika-chan!" She waved at the Vice-Commander. "Sorry, were we interrupting your beauty sleep?"

"…Please refrain from calling me that, Karen-senpai."

The named person soon climbed out of the tank. Without having a black jacket over her, Erika could see her well-proportioned body form. She has to admitted, Karen-senpai was truly a beautiful, mature-looking person as she was taller than everyone here by a few centimeters. However, Commander Nishizumi was the one who she long admired.

Karen-senpai was a third-year like Commander, a third-year veteran seed of Sensha-do at Kuromorimine. However, unlike most girls who wanted to become like Commander in a certain way that they decided to have their hair cut short. She was one of a few who decided to leave their hair grown naturally and untied.

"Boo~ No fair." The auburn-haired pouted childishly. "Erika-chan is bullying me with authority abuse."

"I'm not!"

Again, she was one of the few characters who would dare to 'challenge' the rank in such openly manner.

Karen-senpai soon replaced her pouting with a casual smile and turned to the crew.

"I think this is good for the test run. Thanks a lot, I will pay you girls the favor later. Now let's fix the track and bring this hunk of metal back to the Chief before he starts showing his blood veins on the sides of his head."

"Okay." "Hai!"

As the crew started to work on the broken tank track, Erika then finally realized something was wrong with the picture.

"…Those senpais are the Elefant's crew. What happened to _your_ own crew, Karen-senpai?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Around somewhere, back at the dorm or something."

"You sure have them easy..."

Usually a commander would have her crew under her own command and discipline but Karen's crew was…an _exceptional_ case.

What nothing much to do, Erika decided to sit along with Karen who supervised over the track fixing.

"Hand me over that wrench."

"Hu-hu!" Two senpais pulled the tread back into wheels' slit together.

The senpais' working soon had Erika recalled back at the final when her Königstiger's track were snapped.

"They're always that heavy huh?" She said it out loud.

"Uhm…what are you implying, Erika-chan?"

Odd to Erika, why Karen-senpai was shifting uncomfortably with an arm over her chest? Never mind that.

"Back then, when I heard you guys were turned upside down. I **did not** think you guys were actually _**upside down**_ in that dried canal."

Thinking back, it was too funny to be true and at the same time, it was hurtful to see such a war machine was reduced to some sort of flipping toy y some child and broke its long 120mm tank gun.

"Please don't mention that mark of shame again..." Karen let out a sigh. "If anything else, I blame Cadenza. That girl really don't know when to let go of the pedal. And you would't believe how crazy those girls are, dear."

"The ones from…M3 Lee?"

"Oh yes. Those _**killer rabbits**_."

There was the name again, Erika thought.

"…killer…rabbits?"

"Look at the **BONES**!"

This led Erika shifting her eyes down to the green grasses around her sitting spot.

"…what bones?"

"Sorry, it's just one of my memorable quotes."

"Huh…"

"Anyway, that M3 Lee was really something. First, they appeared out of nowhere and ambushed us right from behind. Thankfully the rear armor withstood. We immediately made out of that narrowed alley and turned the table on them."

Karen used her both hands to make the story telling more graphical.

"We charged, they reversed _while_ shooting at us. Just when we finished loading the shell, they then tried to stick close to us as hard as they could, rendering our 128mm gun useless! But in the end, we push and we shoot, nailed that rabbit good!"

There was a sense of satisfaction on her face but it soon replaced with depressed.

"Ahh…and _she_ just had to stomp the pedal so hard all the way…"

She let out a heavy sigh.

"…Poor Ele-chan…those killer rabbits have got her so bad."

"Ele-chan…you mean _Elena_ -senpai?"

"Uh-huh. Before they got to us, they dealt with Ele-chan first, pulling that dirty trick from Kelly's Heroes…"

_Another movie reference?_

"So…where is Elena-senpai now?"

"Back at the dorm. Still suffering PTSD."

"This 'PTSD'…is it _really_ plaguing around our members?" Erika couldn't help but be skeptical about it.

"PTSD is a _serious_ business, girl. You don't tread it lightly."

"I think 'psychological trauma' is a more suitable term, right…?"

"Eh…PTSD sounds much more…dramatic."

"What are we? High school girls with a drama school life?"

"Since you are putting it that way. Why not?"

Erika simply made a sweat drop, looking back at senpais.

"At least from where I look, Elena-senpai's crew didn't seem suffer that _PTSD_ much."

Hearing the words she said, the thought of the Elefant crew were this: 'Girl, if you ever know…'

/ / /

_"They're right behind us! How the hell they could be right behind us?! Didn't we just chase them a moment ago?" The blond-haired commander named Elena was extremely panicked when she spotted the M3 Lee through the cupola._

_"Quick! Pivot Turn!" She cried out._

_The driver immediately did but only to find that their tank, Elefant was smashed into someone's house wall._

_"What is going on?"_

_"We're stuck!"_

_"QUICK! Pull back. Full speed ahead!"_

_"The clutch! I can't…"_

_The Elefant commander looked through the cupola's vision, only to see the Lee tank bearing a emblem of a cute (yet scary?) pink rabbit duel wielding two knives stopped right behind them._

_"WAAHH! We are done for! Brace yourselves!"_

_The commander and the crew braced for it as the 75mm and 35mm gun of M3 Lee fired at the same time._

_The experience of being double-shot while inside the tank was beyond painful when the crew suffered the unspeakable vibration of violent, making their heart would pop out as their ears almost went deaf._

_"We're…alive?" The gunner said, seeing the referee system of the tank was still green._

_"We still okay."_

_"Haha…we ALIVE!" The Elefant's commander cried in joy. "We still alive! We are immort—"_

And those were Elena's famous last words.

/ / /

A moment later, Erika drove the Kübelwagen alongside with the track-fixed Jadgtiger back to the motor pool where a number of Panthers and Jagdpanzers were undergoing the maintenance.

While the idea was popular to the public eyes that Sensha-do tanks were solely to be operated by women but what about the engine of these metal beasts? Were they to be handled by women as well? Or by men?

It wasn't a gender-right movement or anything. It was quite simple, Shiho Nishizumi's husband, Tsuneo Nishizumi, was an engine mechanic for her Tiger I during her golden age at Sensha-do. So Kuromorimine was one of the fewest schools allowing male mechanics to handle at the backstage while the female Sensha-do students taking the front.

"Chief." Karen called out to a man dressed in the gray-colored overalls with a bit of greases on. He appeared in his fifties, but still primed with full energy. He had a large spiky beard and considerable amount of hair around the head.

"Oh hey, Karen. And Vice-Commander? This is surprising."

"Hello Chief Keni." Erika bowed to him politely.

Keni was his name but everyone here simply called him Chief. Obviously, the title didn't invoke much brain cells to tell which position he was in the maintenance team for Kuromorimine tanks.

"How was the test run?" The Chief asked, looking at the Jagdtiger slowly reversed to its designated parking spot.

"Terrible, lots need to be fixed. The transmission and all that."

"Tsk!" The Chief clicked his tongue. "That's because of you flappy girls somehow managed to destroy to other one. It was one of my beloved children. I've put so much effort and a lot of customized parts into that engine so it wouldn't break down during the match and you just have to _drove all the way_ to its doom."

"Oh come on, gram. Have a heart. We are your beloved children too." Karen defended. "And besides, you should be proud that you engine was working so well!"

"Until you have it go smoky in that canal. The 128mm gun was one thing but that fall really shook and loosen every screws in the engine compartment!"

True to Karen's words, Erika noticed some visible blood veins appeared on the side of his head.

"Seriously, who was in the right mind to give off a pursuit like that?"

"I blame the driver, _again_."

"Are you sure that _girl_ didn't chose a wrong profession?"

"Eeehh…I think she chose the wrong school, actually."

"?" Erika was puzzled.

"But she sure had you all in that spectacular fall." Standing behind the Chief, a novice mechanic guy said.

"Yeah…How about let me put you inside the Jagdtiger and recreate the fall again huh? You want to experience such fall while inside that dead trap?"

/ / /

_"Come on...come on...back away a bit so I can see your smiley face, rabbit..." This was it. The patience of the Jagdtiger gunner was running out as she caressed the trigger, wanting to pull it any time soon._

_This fiasco was getting dragged for too long, the M3 Lee, that stupid rabbit emblem was getting on everyone nerves with its attacks and persisting move like a mosquito. Back and forth, the driver shifted the gear repeatedly._

_And when the window was opened, Karen called the shot._

_"Now!"_

_It was one shot, one kill. The shell landed directly onto the M3 Lee's front hull and knocked it out all the way like striking it with a bat._

_"YEAAAHHH! Our_ **_first_ ** _kill of this entire match, sucker!" The Jagdtiger gunner cried in joy._

_The celebration was short when Karen noticed that they were coming in fast toward the traffic barriers._

_"Cadenza! Hit the brake!" She shouted to the driver over her mics._

_"What…"_

_The reaction from the driver came too late as the Jagdtiger crashed through and coming down fast into the canal._

_"OH MAI GAWD! OH MAI GAWD! Oh-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-AGGHHHH!"_

_The long 128mm gun was mercilessly bent away and broke apart like a stick as the whole body was tipping over and upside down, having the whole six-man crew suffered the...physics._

_"Ouch…"_

/ / /

"You don't." Her silver eyes gave off the deadly glance at the mechanic guy, who backed away with a nervous laugh.

"Haha…Noted."

"Well, what done is done." The Chief let out a sigh. "Now I think you girls have to switch back to Elefant."

"…Hah…Cadenza is not gonna like this." Karen massaged the back of her head. "Your customized engine on the Jagdtiger was pleased her enough. Now she would go ranting about Elefant's engine problem all the way like a historian."

Looking at Panthers and Jagdpanzers underwent the maintenance, Erika overheard the conversation between the mechanics were pointing out the same problem: the tank's engine, and the tracks.

They got Erika thinking, thinking about the problems of Kuromorimine was having.

Every mechanic here was hard worker but they're not miracle workers. Constant problems about the engine and tank tracks popped up left and right. There was solutions but they're not permanent.

"Ironic…" Erika said.

"About what?"

"Well, just thinking about what Commander Nishizumi have said, quoting from Guderian: 'It's better to have a fast runner than to have a thick skin'."

"Maybe we were doing it a wrong way around." Erika continued.

"Maybe we should have change our tank to something more maneuverable, like Panzer IV or III. They were the backbone of German force back in the day and to the end of war when the Tigers and Panthers were limited…"

As her words went on, she drawn quite an attention from everyone nearby whom overheard it.

_'Nishizumi Style needs to be changed. And to my conclusion, that you, Erika Itsumi. You will be the one to do it.'_

_No. No. That's crazy! Stop it. Wild me._

"Erika-chan?"

Returned back to the reality, the light blond-haired realized how everyone was looking at her.

"S-sorry! Please forget what I just said." Erika shook her head with a bit of redness on her face.

"…"

~0~

After the talk was done, Erika, Karen and the others quietly made their way out of the motor pool.

For a sense of courteous, once the girls were out of his sights, the Chief pulled out a cigarette from his pocket.

"If that old magnificent bastard was here, everything would have been so much easier." He said as he lighted up his cigarette.

"Are you talking about...Tsuneo-san, sir?" asked the novice.

"Yeah, he is the one who crazy enough to try anything and he was the magician with the engine too."

"I've heard that he's wrote something on the internet." Another mechanic joined in. "Something about able to use the 38(t) chassis and upgrade it into Hetzer! Which practically it could not be done like that in real life."

"Again, like I said, he's the real magician." The Chief puffed out smoke. "He knows where to cut corner and put the right part in it."

"And he was always the first one to argue with the Madam over what kind of tank they should buy for Kuromorimine."

~0~

It was uneventful trip back to the school's main plaza. After waving goodbye to the Elefant's crew, the Jagdtiger commander turned to Kuromorimine Vice-Commander with a decision in mind.

"Erika-chan."

"What is it, Karen-senpai?"

"Say…you want to hang out with me?"

~0~

**Kuromorimine Girls High School – Third Year Dormitory**

Erika would expect the inferior of every dormitory applied for the first years, second years (where she was staying) and third years to be the same, but this was not the case.

In the hallway they walked, there were more stuffs put in display like movie posters, or boy bands, flower pots and mostly...junks were taking space in the hall.

"This looks a bit different than our dormitory."

"Well, we are more grown up than you, Erika-chan."

That didn't amused Erika one bit.

Why did she agree to follow Karen-senpai? Maybe the decision of becoming a new Commander of Kuromorimine was taking too much space in her mind so Erika hoped that a distraction would help her.

"Are we visiting Elena-senpai?"

"Eeehh…no." Karen replied. "She is still sulking with the defeat so it's best to leave her be. She will crawl out of her own domain any time soon in the future."

_Sulking...but_ **_not_ ** _PTSD, huh?_

Erika made the sarcastic thought.

...

...

As they moved deeper inside the dormitory, Erika overheard some loud playing metal music.

It was coming from a half-opened door.

"Oh? Shiko is here, let's say hello." Karen said, approaching to the door.

When the door was opened by Karen, the music got way louder but the only thing Erika would fully pay her attention to was…

Abs…she saw them. Holy mother, six-pack abs!

In the room where it filled with all kind of exercise equipment lying around like hand weights, grippers, jump rope, a pull-up bar placed on the wall, a green stability ball, and a bench which a young woman with a dark-haired and tanned skin doing body was using it for sit ups.

Erika was aware that Shiko had a toned, bulky body behind the school uniform or Sensha-do one but looking at close, behind her gym wear and sweaty form…damn! Not sure Erika wanted to those abs for herself or just be there to look at.

Noticed the two's presence by the door, Shiko stopped her movement and stood up properly. At this point, Erika believed Shiko would be the tallest girl around here at Kuromorimine with her 1m8 height.

"Hey Shiko. I'm bringing Vice-Commander-chan here for a tour."

"H-hi…" Erika put up her greeting hand.

"…" The expressionless face quietly made a nod to her.

"Yeeah, she didn't talk much." Karen said. "Sorry for bothering you, Shiko. You can go to back to your own business now."

The pair politely closed the door and continued the tour.

"That's your loader so…where is your second loader?" Erika asked, knowing that the Jagdtiger's gun would require two loaders for its two-part ammunition. One to load the projectile and the other one for the cased propellant charge.

"Oh. Lotte is out for an errand today."

...

...

Erika was soon led into the Dormitory's R&R room. A large spacious living room contained a few of historic replica things like a phonograph, a coal stove, old classic-looking standing lambs and a few wooden barrels (which rather odd in the picture).

She then spotted the medals and old trophies were proudly displayed behind the glass cabinet, separately themselves from many hanged framed photos of Kuromorimine veterans back in its early years.

_The Kuromorimine's golden age..._

Taking up a large portion of the room was a few set of leather couches and one 64 inches plasma TV…wait a minute. Leather couches and 64 inches plasma TV?

"I didn't know the school has afforded these stuffs for you senpais."

"About that, they didn't. We bought those with our own money."

"Wait, what? How?"

Karen-senpai playfully closed one eye as she put an index finger over her lips.

"It's a girl's secret."

_Are you guys doing something illegal?_

Erika's face started to get darken.

They soon approached to one person who was sitting comfortably on the couch with her legs placed on the low table while watching some movie. Erika noticed the movie was playing a certain scene of some American Lieutenant telling his men that they would go to France to kill the Nazis.

"Sup, Hawisa. Just getting start with that movie?"

Hawisa, a third-year oversea student from German. She had a dyed orange hair tied on one side and blue eyes. She was the radio operator in Karen's crew.

"Yeah Karen, the first scene of this movie is quite incredible…Vice-Commander?" The orange-haired girl started to stand up but Erika motioned her hand saying: 'please don't, at ease'.

"I'm taking her for a tour and…introduce her to our friends too."

"Really? Are you sure about that?"

« NEIN-NEIN-NEIN-NEIN-NEIN-NEIN— »

The movie was paused by the remote in Hawisa's hand.

"Yeeeeeaah…I'm sure."

"It's your funeral." Hawisa then turned to Erika with a smile. "Prepare to be amazed, Vice-Commander."

_This is something illegal, isn't it? Should I call the Feldgendarmerie like, right now?_

Hawisa returned back to her comfortable posture and played the movie again while Karen was approaching to the coal stove by the wall.

Karen grabbed a part of the stove and then…pulled, to Erika's astonishment. The whole coal stove was moving in a motion like a door, revealing the pipe of the stove was actually a pole that lead straight down to its hole, a secret passage…deep down to whatever down there.

"This fireman's pole. It's leading straight down to the ship?" Erika asked, looking straight down to the abyss-like darkness.

"Where else do you think it would lead, dummy." Hawisa chuckled.

"Adventure awaits!" Karen said with and excited tone.

_...What have I got myself into?_

"…" Wordlessly, Erika placed her hands on the pole as one leg wrapped around it.

And here was when Erika's eyes were opened when she got to see the other side of the coin, of the Kuromorimine.

~0~

"To be honest, all of my time in Kuromorimine, this is a first time I've visited down here." Erika commented, following behind Karen's back in a narrowed hallway with all kind of metal pipe running all over the ceiling and both sides of the wall like some sort of spider webs.

"Well you know what they said, life is full of surprises, even shit too."

Erika gave her the look.

"I mean, shit is right in front of you." The auburn-haired pointed the finger down in a general direction, in front of Erika. "Watch out."

So Erika did, barely having her shoes from touching it.

"We…you have dogs down here?"

"Cats, monkeys and many more to come."

…

…

The wild tour which Erika had got on with Karen seemed almost come to an end when the pair stopped before the dim light stained-glass door.

There was a neon sign, showing a cat with its nine tails by its glowing tube glasses in blue and pink color, placed by the door.

She noticed a sign above the door said: Garden of Eden.

"Let's put this on you."

Erika felt something was placed on her head.

"Voila. There we go."

"An officer hat? For what?"

"For a good measure." Karen smiled, opening the door for Erika.

"And why are you carrying...that...?" Erika looked at a certain thing held by Karen.

"Insurance. Please, lady first." She motioned Erika to come in.

"..."

Drawing in one good long deep breath, Erika marched her way in as she mentally prepared what awaits her.

...

...

...

It was a bar. Truly, it _was_ a bar. The soft music filled in the air. The counter bar with all kind of bottles placed on the shelves behind it, and the… _ **patrons**_ here were wearing Kuromorimine's sailor uniform, consisting of dark blue suit with light blue sailor collar matching with skirt along with a white cap.

Erika, for many times, had underwent some situations that would make her mind go blank, either out of surprise or shocking, but this...this one really took the cake...for now.

"This is…this is…"

"Welcome to Kuromorimine's Eden. We are human after all. We all need something to relieve ourselves right?"

"..." Erika could not believe such place like this was operated right under Kuromorimine's nose and who knows how long it has been here?

"I'm telling ya all!" cried a voice from a group of sailors surrounding a certain known face, much to Erika's disbelief.

"Mauko-senpai…?"

"If I ever meet that rusty bucket again. I will unload all of my rounds onto it! I will roast it, I will roast it _good_ along with those _**bitches**_ inside!" With the sentence ended, she took a certain from her glass boastfully.

"Hehe-Yeah!" The female sailors cheered out for her spirit.

"And to anyone who shot me, they can kiss my ugly ass! I will shove it right at their faces!" A glass-wearing girl did the same.

"YEAHH!"

"…Sangou?"

« Wie einst Lili Marleen. Wie einst Lili Marleen. »

Then the karaoke singing voices captured Erika's attention as she looked up to the center of attention, the singing stage with show lights were beaming at _them_ radiantly.

"Even Ritaiko and Geshiko…"

The two were singing together, to Erika's amazed. They're like a pair of wild roses thanks to the red shirt with matching skirts.

The lyric of the song had Erika recognized that it was Lili Marleen, a famous German love songs back in WW2.

Not only just them, but a number of familiar faces of 2nd years and 3rd years were spotted among with Kuromorimine sailors who she was not acquainted with.

A group of girls lifted these…metal mugs up in the air and banged them together.

"KAN-PAI! (Cheers!)"

"Are they…consuming alcohol?" Erika's expression went grimace, hoping it wasn't true.

"Oh nein! They're drinking root beer. We are still under-age, remember?"

A line like that didn't really buy it as Erika put her dark skeptical gaze straight at Karen who immediately defended.

"It's true!"

The song sung by Ritaiko and Geshiko came to end and soon met the audience heartfelt clapping with cheering whistles followed.

"Encore! Encore!"

"Sing the drunken sailor again!"

"Hehe, your wish is my command." Geshiko happily replied, meeting up to everyone's expectation.

Then a new soundtrack soon filled the atmosphere as everyone started to clap in with the tune.

Erika scanned the entire room properly, it was a hotpot of everything putting in here. From bar counter, sitting sections for patrons, the singing stage, even there were gaming arcade machines she remembered back in childhood on left side of the room.

True to Karen's words, the girls weren't drunk with any sort of alcohol as she noticed on the tables only contained dozens of soda cans and various snacks. They were somehow 'drunk' by their own adrenaline and the atmosphere.

She aware that Kuromorimine were always strict on its rules so the girls would often do something for their stress relieve but to find such an outlet like this was really beyond her.

Surely this was something that the teachers totally could not allow. If someone decided to take a picture here…who knew what sort of thing would blow on Kuromorimine's reputation...

Before Ritaiko and Geshiko could start to sing the lyrics, they saw Erika as she saw them.

To Erika's assumed scenario, the two tank commanders sobered up almost instantly as their faces turned white ( **whiter** than the show lights) and stood to attention along with loudest booming voices in the room that prompted everyone to do the same.

**«« A-ACTUNG!** **»»**

The music stopped. The laughter stopped. All kinds of noises stopped but they were replaced with multiple objects hitting on the floor uncontrollably for a few seconds before the silence truly settled in.

However, someone managed to bolt their butts as fast as a squirrel from the gaming arcade to the exit.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

It was awkward.

If an outsider were here, they could simply comprehended that a high-ranking officer has walked into a bar and crashed the grunts' party.

"...At...at ease." Erika felt so embarrassed for saying it. "I'm not here to…bust your party or anything."

Soon immediately, a big laughter was launched from the top of Karen's lungs. She was the only one who enjoyed such scene.

The stunned and shocking expression from everyone soon shifted to frustrated and anger when they saw the culprit who had brought their Vice-Commander down here.

"MOOO! Karen-senpai. You're so cruel!"

"What the hell, Karen?! At least give us a warning!"

"Hihihi, sorry. Sorry—woah!" She narrowly evaded from getting hit by a flying empty beverage can.

Without any official order, a barrage of half-drink cans and other...throw-able trashes was carried out.

Came with prepare, Karen immediately put up the Roman-like shield to protect herself.

Avoiding from getting hit, Erika quickly moved herself out of the line of fire.

During the 'Katyusha' attack conducted by everyone, she happened to spot a drinking plastic bottle managed to land on Karen's head by its rebound on the wall.

"Ouch! Hey! Who tossed that—ouch! Hey, stop that! I give up! Ouch! Oh hey, a 500-yen coin."

"That's mine! Give that back!"

_What have I got myself into?_

~0~

After a swift cleaning with a broom, Karen settled everyone down with her explanation (much to everyone relief) and had Erika sat by the bar.

"Here you go. A welcome drink for our _newest_ patron."

The questionable non-alcoholic rum that everyone all got 'drunk' with is presented before Erika in a shot glass.

To fulfill her own curiousity, Erika took a read of the label on the bottle which poured its content for her: Hanabero Club.

Taking one deep breath, Erika drank it up in one go.

"Uh! Wow! This is…ugh! Hot!"

Erika felt an intensive heat was running all over her chest and down to her stomach. She breathed heavily as her heart was beating like a drum.

"Whe-where did you get such drink like this?" She asked Karen who was squeezing a piece of lime into a coke glass.

"Well you know, that's a funny story. It was that time before the final match, our intelligent department girls…"

"Hey! You promised you wouldn't share that story." A female sailor said.

"Right, right. Hehe, sorry, Erika-chan. Maybe next time."

It appeared that there're a lot of things for Erika to dig them out of Karen but for now, she asked this:

"Does…does Commander Nishizumi know about this?"

"Eeeh…maybe? I think she aware of it, I still haven't invite her though."

"..." For the first time of the day, Erika let out a relieved sigh.

The thought of thinking Commander Nishizumi to be down here to have some drink...well...it would be cool to take a picture of it. Erika's face felt warm.

The bar entrance was opened once more, Erika turned her head to see who it was and…surprise, surprise.

"Sorry, I'm late everyone. I've made some sandwiches…" The brown-haired girl walked in while carried a basket immediately showed her surprised face when she saw the familiar face with icy blue eyes sitting next to the well-known senpai.

"Erika...san?"

"Koume-san. Why I am not even surprise..."

At this point, Erika somehow no longer had the strength to react it much.

With Karen's smiling face, Koume didn't need a further explanation. In fact, she approached to Erika with a delighted face and handed to her a parcel.

"Uhm...Erika-san, you want one?"

"..."

_Oh what the hell? Let's get wasted._

She took it gracefully and the coke glass Karen-senpai has prepared for her.

…

…

It was indeed a strange R&R style for Kuromorimine. For too long, Erika never has had such experience like this. She did hangout with Koume and other tank commanders in a coffee shop or do some shopping in their free time but the girls were rather…reserved. In this place, this was the first time she saw how they're so openly with their mind.

Complaining, cursing, but in a way, they were seen much better when they finally got that negative emotion out of their chest. Mauko-senpai and Sangou happily clanged their glasses together along with their crew.

Ritaiko and Geshiko, they're one hell of a pair singers. Every song's lyric was well-timed at their own rhythm.

The Kuromorimine sailors were...well, first time she met them but for some reason she knew. They too, were bearing some negatives and stress that need to be let go.

The gaming arcades were surrounded by a dozen, as they waited for their turn and watched the two girls were playing the racing car machines with some intense.

Behind Erika, she saw a small group was playing portable gaming device online.

"No-no-no…shit!" cursed the red hair sailor girl wearing a black bandana.

"Ahh~ you lost again."

"Curse you _Nekonya_!" She screamed at the device's screen.

"Why is she speaking the cat tongue?" A sailor asked her companion for some insight but…

"Nyaa~"

"Don't you dare!"

As for Koume…well, she was being surrounded by a number of sailor-uniformed girls who appeared quite…attached to her.

"You are so good at everything. Please marry me, Koume-senpai!" The short light brown hair girl spoke it out bravely.

"No fair! I want to confess to her too." said the white blond-haired with the boyish short hair.

Koume simply chuckled while patting on the heads of those clinging onto her arms like a mother did to her children.

"Wow." said Erika.

"Koume-chan is quite popular with the first year sailors, you know that?" Karen said.

"No…I do not know…"

_I don't know anything…at all…Their own worries, their own stories…I don't know anything at all…_

_I even broke that one friendship apart…_

_And they ask me to become a new Commander of Kuromorimine…? Ridiculous._

The negative built inside her chest made her eyes start to feel a bit dried.

"So many people that you couldn't remember their names right?"

Feeling ashamed, Erika made a light nod.

"Yeah. It's a bit unfair comparing you to Miho-chan."

The name brought the light blue eyes looked up to the silver eyes.

"You...you have associated with _her_?"

"Well…not exactly in the manner of face-to-face like I did with you." Karen chuckled, taking a sip from her glass.

"You remembered that I wasn't able to participate the 62nd final match because of my stupid fever?"

"Uhm, yes." She remembered.

There was a last-minute change of a Panther commander (which was Karen's position) before the sortie. Although the change wasn't affect much but it did to the Panther's function because the replaced tank commander wasn't quite familiar yet with Panther's weight and speed.

"Well, because it was a stupid fever so I really tried hard myself to get out of my bedroom but…Miho-chan, she stood right behind that door..."

Karen then silent, staring at her own drink for a moment before she continued.

"She really has made a good point back then, stopping me from leaving the bed. But I was worried for her. That girl, she was _too_ kind."

"Yeah, she was a stupid, clumsy girl." Erika remarked. "But I was even more idiot…"

"So I heard." Karen smiled at Erika, it wasn't out of mocking or anything. It was just...a smile.

"That lost...was the beginning of downfall of Kuromorimine huh?" Karen shook the glass lightly to stir up the drink.

"..."

"I'm kinda sympathy to senpais. It was their final year after all. Being defeated like that really brings a sour taste. But still…did they really have to do that?" Karen's hand holding the glass was tighten.

"Even though Kuromorimine was upstanding with its discipline so there was no physical bully. But...damn, sorry. I really didn't mean to revive that bad memory to you."

"No, it's alright…"

Like Karen-senpai, Erika still held her the glass in her hand. The cold and moisture of it were transmitted onto her hand as the low-temperature in the room crawled over her exposed skin.

They're cold alright...but never could compete with **that coldness** at all.

Those cold eyes, those cold shoulders, those emotionless words. Yet, behind that coldness was a raging fire of disgust and hatred toward her and her crew.

It was really dreadful to everyone, not just them, but to every freshmen as well.

Normally, the Kuromorimine's chosen members for the official Sensha-do Tournament team consisted of third years and a small portion of second years who performed well enough. However, on the 62nd National Sensha-do Tournament, there was an arguably huge change of force when their freshmen was able to joined in, because of one person: Miho Nishizumi.

Erika, Koume and the others were trained and fought under Vice-Commander Miho since their middle school division as well as first year in high school division so it would be wise to have a leader leading the girls she knew by heart rather the senpais who she rarely met or talked to.

They have proved themselves well to their senpais with victory after victory, but they were only trained with light and medium tanks so that leaves the Tiger I to be manned by senpais, having Miho as its commander.

After that...defeat, it created an invisible riff between the upperclassmen and the underclassmen.

It only lasted after the graduation of third years senpais, however, it drove out many members of Sensha-do to quit on their own term. This normally would cause a quite stir on the school's morale and public image, but thanks to the Intelligent Department simply did at they do best: 'sweep it under the rug'.

"If I have noticed it soon, or if I didn't have that fever. Things might have turned out differently..."

"No...it actually wouldn't make any different." Erika shook her head lightly.

"How would you know?"

"Because I..."

That lost was her fault. Hers alone. No one else.

Erika blamed herself.

But the one who she really couldn't forgive was...Miho.

In Erika's heart, what Miho did, she truly graceful, she _truly_ **was**. She decided that she would endure, persist to everything would throw at her. To show that Miho's action was not in vain.

So why?

Why on earth did she leave Kuromorimine?

Why did she run away, leaving her and everyone behind, who was fighting as hard as they could?

In the end, only she and Koume were the only two who remained in Kuromorimine.

It was a...dark time for Erika. If not thanks to Maho who approached to her and offered her the Vice-commander position. Who knew what she would do now at this moment.

_And now they want me to become a new Commander…life is truly full of surprise…_

"..." Karen didn't say anything as she noticed a tear was formed at the corner of Erika's eye.

The music, the atmosphere, the (non-alcoholic) drink. They were forming a certain exotic feeling which was getting into Erika's mind and heart.

Without a warning, she stood up from her seat and approached to the stage. The sudden approach made by Vice-Commander quickly drove both Ritaiko and Geshiko out, allowing her to take their place.

Standing out before the dazzling rainbow lights, with a microphone in hand, Erika opened up her mouth and speak out what's on her mind.

~0~

There was a strong vibration bringing a nice sensation to her numbing body along with a noise of some motorcycle engine.

"Ugh…" Erika groaned weakly.

"Oh hey you awake, _Commander_."

"Karen…senpai?"

As her conscious and mind was coming a bit clearer, Erika noticed that she was sitting at the back of Kettenkrad, a half-track tractor with Karen sat in front as a driver. They're no longer inside that Eden bar as she noticed the night sky along with the moon.

"What...what happened?"

"You drunk. You sang. A lot. To the point you actually passed out." Karen answered. "So here we are, having so nice fresh air for you...Erika-chan."

"I...I did?"

Boy, would that be so embarrassed for her. Then, Erika felt a bit...scared. She tried remember what did she truly do back there but...none came to light. Was she really dazed away by the bar's atmosphere and those non-alcoholic drinks or Karen-senpai has put something into her drink?

The Kettenkrad then came a stop, in front of a certain tank shed.

"C'mon. I want to show you something."

_Another one? Oh what the hell. I've come too far anyway._

At this point, Erika didn't even bother to care.

Karen climbed out and waited patiently for Erika who fixed her uniform back into a proper state.

They slowly made their way to the hangar door.

Before Karen could have use a ring of keys in her hand, she noticed something.

"Ha, strange...the door is already opened."

"..."

The two quietly made their way inside.

While the leading senpai wasn't reacted much but Erika did, when she finally saw what was inside this very shed.

"These are…"

No need to tell, Erika could tell the exact model of theses tanks were.

Panzer IV Ausf. F2

Panzer III Ausf. G and Ausf. F

Panzer II Ausf. F

StuG III Ausf. G along side with a few StuG IVs

35(t).

Even 38(t).

"Yup, the past relics of Kuromorimine before the purchasing of heavy tanks made by the Madam Nishizumi herself."

Both heads turned to the voice, finding there's the old mechanic, sitting on top of a little tank unlike any other, a certain paper-armored tank known as Type 98 Ke-Ni. Hard to believe but true, Chief Keni here was one of the fewest men who actually owned a tank for themselves, but he really didn't use it for Sensha-do, only to drive it from home to work and back.

"It's sad to see they all sat there collecting dust like that..."

"Hey Chief. What are you doing out here?" The auburn-haired asked.

"Just reminiscing the old time."

"By drinking alone?" Karen pointed to a sake bottle next to him.

"Of course, and _don't_ try to think about it."

"Ahhh, just a little sip?" Karen asked innocently.

"Don't make me go to jail, kid."

...

...

The trio walked deeper inside the shed, looking at every tank with a sense of admire, like they're inside a museum.

"Ooh, the Panzer I." Karen said, looking at the said vehicle. "This brings back memories."

"Yeah, I remembered how you tried to sneak it out with your sister to join that stupid Tankathlon."

"Hey take that back! That sport was _way more_ awesome than Sensha-do."

Out of all the German light, medium tanks, and assault guns were made in the early and mid years of the WW2, Erika spotted one large silhouette among them, which she immediately recognized what it was.

A Tiger I. One of the most famous and well-known armoured vehicles of all time.

_Why was it sitting here?_

As she approached closer to it, she soon learned why.

[217] was the number on its turret.

Erika didn't need someone to point it out, it's the flag tank they've used back in the 62nd final, the one Miho commanded it.

"Oh yeah, _that_." The Chief said. "Although after we fixed it good. No one really wants to use it."

"The mark of shame." Karen called out the reason.

"The mark of shame…how stupid. It's just a tank, not to be made out like some sort of example."

"Well, you can't blame the high school girls with their highly sensitive age to the superstition."

"Remind me again how did your mother raise you, Karen?"

While the two were engaging in their own talk, Erika placed her hand on the Tiger's front hull.

It was cold and dusty. A pitiful sight for the pride icon of Kuromorimine.

"Are we...doing it wrong?"

_Nishizumi Style..._

_Kuromorimine..._

A torrent of thoughts started to flow in.

_Over-reliance on superior armour._

_Rigid and inflexible._

_'Maybe we were doing it a wrong way around.'_

_'Maybe we should have change our tank to something more maneuverable, like Panzer IV or III. They were the backbone of German force back in the day and to the end of war when the Tigers and Panthers were limited…'_

_'Hit the target when you fire, let your defenses be of iron, and advance in perfect order.'_

_The decision of the Headmistress who dare wanting to change Nishizumi Style, to change...Kuromorimine._

_Commander Nishizumi..._

_‘It’s better to have a fast runner than to have a thick skin.’_

_Guderian._

_Blitzkrieg._

_Nishizumi Style._

_Miho…_

_A new future for Kuromorimine._

_A new…Kuromorimine…_

It was that this very moment, Erika Itsumi stumbled upon a novel, new and arguably...the _most_ _grand_ decision of all had been made.

"We really have took them for granted, haven't we?"

Her words captured both attention.

"These powerful, heavy tanks. The name of Kuromorimine. The power of Nishizumi Style. The champions… **nine** years of winning streak…" She let out a small laugh, almost like a laugh of pity.

"Kuromorimine is still…dreaming in its own glory past. I think it's time to wake it up."

It wasn't her drunk talk, it was her own clear conscious thought and mind as she said it.

_'We won't lose next time. It's a promise!'_

"Promise has been made. So it should be kept." Erika muttered to herself.

"Pray do tell. What do you have in mind?" asked the Chief.

She turned and looked at the two wearing curious face.

Somehow, she could tell that they were expecting that this would happened.

A new wind.

That's what it was.

A new wind for Kuromorimine.

And **she** will be the one to take the helm.

"I'm going to wage a full throttle of Blitzkrieg."

 


	5. Panzerlied (First half)

**Kuromorimine School Carrier – Kuromorimine Girls High School**

Leila Rou was her name, she was your everyday friendly girl you would have in class. She was average-sized, had a light brown hair with twin-tailed style and brown eyes.

"Leila-san. Someone here is wanting to see you." said a classmate.

"Oh? Who is it?"

"Well…"

Before her classmate could answer it, Leila already saw **_her_** standing by the door.

"Erika…chan?"

For long, Leila had known her since the primary school, but Erika Itsumi was rather...unmindful about her. She forgot who Leila was or even her name right at the time they met again on the first day at Kuromorimine.

Still, during their years in middle school division, it was quite a blast experience for Leila, rode inside the tank, fought alongside with Erika against the youngest Nishizumi for the new Vice-Commander position.

However, that was before she was...left behind. She was not quite good at it, the Sensha-do. She did her best in her own way but it was not enough.

Kuromorimine was a prestigious school, and it asked a lot for those who committed into its Sensha-do, performed and followed by the Nishizumi Style.

Those who couldn't follow will be left behind, Leila Rou was one of them, and she soon quit.

Although, the real reason she quit the Sensha-do wasn't because she was weak, because of what it _did_ to her friend, Erika.

They were the strongest of all. They're supposed to achieve their 10th consecutive national championship...

That lost was a severe blow on the Kuromorimine's morale. The third-year senpais were the one who suffered the worst of it. And it's obvious there would be someone to blame for.

The crewmen manned inside that Panzer III were treated as...'aliens' by everyone. Even though there was no physical abuse, on the side of psychology...it was harrowing.

Seeing her childhood friend be shunned like that, it was too much for her heart to bear. Leila remembered how she pleaded, she begged Erika to stop doing Sensha-do.

In the end, her words and feeling only invited Erika's blind wrath. That was the last time the two ever saw each other.

That was some months ago, and it was long for them to meet again like this.

"Leila." Erika said, looking at the longtime friend with a...troubled expression. "You look…well."

"And so are you..." The twin-tailed girl said. "...so...what do you want to see me for?"

"Well...first thing first..." Erika massaged the back of her head.

_Be still my heart. Be still my heart._

Taking a deep breath, Erika Itsumi then done a thing that nobody could have imagine.

Standing at attention before Leila Rou, Erika bowed her head down sharply.

"I'm sorry! What I did to you back then, it was wrong and I'm sorry!"

The twin-tailed girl opened wide her eyes, flinching back by such sudden action.

"Er-Erika...chan?"

"You have always been there for me and genuinely offering to help but I pushed it all away. I pushed you away, because of my stupid ego. And that's the reason why you have quit Sensha-do."

"..." Leila's mind went completely blank. She really did not know what to say.

"It's my fault. I'm no position to ask anything of you. But I...I dare to ask you this." She looked firmly to the childhood friend.

"I would like you to join the Sensha-do again."

"..."

"Fight by my side. One more time, Leila."

"..."

"...I know it's too sudden to ask like that so maybe I should leave–"

Before Erika could have say another word, she was hit by a ballistic Leila.

"Oh-of course of course. I will! I will! Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you-thank-you!"

"Really...just like that?

"Of course! You are my friend, Erika-chan and I'm not leaving you alone ever again!"

"You are quite easy going..."

"Hey! What that supposed to mean?" She immediately made a childish pout.

"S-Sorry! I will treat you something sweet later, ok?"

Before Erika's eyes, this maybe was one of the brightest smile coming from her so-called childhood friend.

"Uhm!"

_'She probably loves you, Erika.'_

The words echoed in her mind were from a certain teammate said back in last year.

_Goddamn it, of all the moment, why do I have to remember it now?_

Erika shook her tomato head furiously, puzzling the hugging childhood friend.

"Leila-senpai...? And V-Vice-Commander?!" The exclaimed voice soon captured both attention.

Standing nearby was a first-year student with a long dark blonde hair who immediately saluted to them, to Erika specifically.

"You are...Francesca right?" asked Erika, recognizing the face among the others during the training session of the first-year students and the assembly.

"Yes! Vice-Commander Itsumi."

"You know, Erika-chan." The twin-haired popped in. "You can call her as Sheska for short."

The nick-name soon painted a pink color on the said person's face.

"L-Leila-senpai!"

_Francesca...Sheska...sounds catchy enough._

"Ah...to be fair. You can call me by my first name as well."

"Re-really? C-can I, Vice-Commander?"

_Commander actually, not **yet** though..._

"Your position is a loader, right?"

"Yes!"

Francesca aka. Sheska was amazed how Vice-Commander had remembered details about her profile like this, and she didn't stop there yet.

"Your burst is 67. Waist is 55. Hips are 65. Quite slim for a loader though but I guess the muscle is not that much required since the league rounds aren't that heavy..."

Erika stopped her sentence as she noticed the two faces before her were pale, particularly from the first year who was genuinely shocked with her mouth was gap-opened. She wondered why.

"Erika…chan? Why are you remembering such things about other people?"

"What thing?"

"Ahh...her sizes?"

_Oohh...shit!_

Erika immediately made the iconic facepalm.

"S-sorry! I just had my brain surfed through a...brain storm two days ago."

Leila and Sheska simply looked at each other, confused.

"Brain?...Brain storm?"

~0~

**– Two days ago –**

"So you have come to your decision?" asked Shiho, the Headmistress of Kuromorimine.

"Yes, Headmistress. I will do it." Erika answered, there was no hesitation behind her eyes. "I will assume the role as a new Commander of Sensha-do team of Kuromorimine."

The long hair woman let out a small sigh as she rose up from her chair and approached to the office's window.

"I'm glad. Maho and I were…hesitated whether to put some…motivation on you or not."

_Mo-motivation...? Does it involve with the German Shepherd thing again or something on the line you would send me to the Gulag if I don't do it? Wait a minute, who are we again? Pravda?_

"So where do you want to start?"

Hearing the question, Erika was snapped back to the reality and answered.

"F-First thing first. I would like to go through the list of every member in the Sensha-do team."

"Everyone?"

"Everyone."

"You should know that a lot of files to go through. And more are coming in from the first-years, although...not quite much..." The Headmistress stopped her line for a moment before she changed it.

"Please ignore that last part, Itsumi-san. So when do you want to make the announcement to everyone?"

"Not...at the moment, ma'am. I would like to...get familiar with the position first. Maybe for a...month."

"Hmm...it will cost what it will cost." Shiho Nishizumi said. "Do what you can for the Kuromorimine, Commander.""

_Can do!_

...

...

At least that was what Erika had thought.

Before her bewildered eyes, there were dozens _and_ dozens of piles of files towering on top of her study table in her own room. Not just physical ones but also digital ones have been poured into her email account like spams and boy! She did not even know where to start.

Actually she did, but only for about...3% of them.

It's not like Erika was bad with paperwork, but she was just one girl with two hands and one brain.

It's just one day passed and Erika knew that the coffee and the free time she has on hand wouldn't cut it.

She needed helps, those who she could trust to sort this out together.

_Those who I could trust..._

A certain face with auburn hair and silver eyes was flashed in her mind.

Erika soon moved the mouse pointer through the files on her laptop and opened up the specific ones, about Karen-senpai and her crew.

Shiko Yamamoto - loader. Those six-abs pack was hard to forget, and her name 'Shiko', its meaning was: a woman made of stone. How fitting.

Hawisa Wang - radio operator. An international student from Germany. She had experiences with Sensha-do for many years.

Lotte Siskin - loader. Also an international student from Germany. It's a pity that Erika didn't get the chance to meet her properly, even though her face was hard to miss. The profile picture of her showed how cute she was, having a bit of freckles on her nose bridge. She had a light brown hair and tied up two buns on top.

Yumiko Inoue - gunner. The profile picture showing her serious-looking face, sharp-edged bob cut and black eyes impressed quite a number of people. Erika heard that Yumiko was came from a high distinctive family who had a traditional archery, just like the Nishizumi House of the past before they switched to Sensha-do. Despite Erika remembered the face, she didn't actually talk to her face-to-face since she rather had an aloof aura.

Cadenza Gatti - driver. A name which she had heard over the conversation but she hasn't got the chance to meet her, or has she?

Karen Nakahashi - commander. A third-year member of Sensha-do at Kuromorimine. Before she earned the tank commander seat, she was a gunner for Stug IV, and a skilled one at that.

Remembering those predicaments from the other day with Karen-senpai, Erika couldn't help but to admire her charisma and free spirit. Even though what she did (the whole bar thing) was practically one big thumb of a rule violation but it certainly helped so many in need.

After that night, Erika began to learn that not many were as strong as her. Although most of the girls appeared as normal as they were but inside, a raging feeling wanted to break out free. The strictness of Kuromorimine's rules certainly didn't make many happy, even herself had violated it once in a while (minor and subtle if you ask).

For some reason, Erika remembered about Miho Nishizumi. When Erika was under her command for a time, she has learned a great deal about her. Miho remembered accurately of every member's strength and weakness. She judged, she understood and utilized them of their very strength. She was the quick one to adapt and change the tactics when a new situation arises. Those Ooarai's victories have proved it.

Back in Kuromorimine, she may appeared as a clumsy, indecisive girl who liked those odd-looking bandaged bears named Boko, but when that girl climbed into a Panzer?

Boy oh boy, a world of hurt was unleashed upon on those who underestimated her, and Erika had tasted such sourness at first hand.

Although she won against Miho, that's only because Miho _allowed_ her to. It was completely unacceptable. It insulted her and everyone's effort.

Then again, when Erika gave it a thought more properly. Did Miho really want to insult her by throwing a match like that or... _being_ **a** Nishizumi, was it really that...'taxing'?

_Maybe it really was._

She remembered how Miho said those...resigned words before she...left Kuromorimine.

_'I'm sorry, Itsumi-san. I...I'm just tired of it all by now.'_

That line, it wasn't just coming from her.

_'I will quit the Sensha-do! I'm just tired of it all! Seeing you to become like that..."_

Another face that Erika once knew had flashed in her mind.

Leila Rou.

An...odd twin-tailed girl who popped up and self-claimed that she was Erika's childhood since the first day she arrived in Kuromorimine.

She was there for Erika since the beginning, helping her out with her request that she would ask of nothing in return, and how she had quit the Sensha-do...because of her.

The feeling of guilt and shame Erika felt the other night became apparent once more.

"I am _such_ a bitch, am I..." She muttered to herself, leaning heavily on the back of her seat.

_I guess it's time for me to take responsible._

...

And Leila Rou was not the only one who Erika had offered her apology.

"I'm sorry!"

Once again, Erika did the unimaginable thing. She bowed her head down before the four senpais who were Erika's crew in the King Tiger.

"Vice-Commander...?"

They were not prepared for this. Sure, they're her senpais, older than her by a year, but for too long, they have been trained, dictated by rank and commands from the tank commander, regardless of their age, taking Miho Nishizumi for example.

So it's no strange for them to be commanded by Vice-Commander Erika. However, for her suddenly offered an apology like this. It truly stunned them.

"I always being harsh on you. I've pushed you senpais too hard. The shooting, the tank tracks and that one decisive shot. All of them, their fails are alone for me to bear. Please don't beat yourself up with it, senpais."

"..." None of them could have say a word, simply looked at Erika with bewildered faces.

"I...I have said my piece. I will leave you senpais back to your business now."

Erika and her group quickly left the scene before it drew more attention from the others.

"Wow, Erika-chan. That was amazing!"

"I...really don't understand much of what's going on but...you did well, Vice-commander." Said Sheska, who reluctantly followed them. "And this...surely will help you and senpais to work out together more effectively in the future."

"Actually...I really don't want to command my senpais anymore."

"Heh?! Vice-Commander, may I ask why?"

"I...I want to change."

The other two looked at each other.

"To _change_ the Kuromorimine."

"Ohmygosh! Erika-chan!" Erika's childhood friend's face was brighten up like a sun like she was able to know the answer before the question was asked. "You have been promoted as a new Sensha-do Commander of–"

"Shh! Not too loud!" Erika frantically put a hand over Leila's mouth.

She looked left and right in the hallway, making sure that no one was nearby.

"S-sorry." Erika quickly let go of Leila, while turning to the surprised first-year. "I really don't want to get myself too much attention at the moment. So let's keep it under the radar, ok?"

"Understood, Vice-com-I mean-Comm-I mean...!" Sheska was at loss of how to call her properly.

"OH! Erika-chan! I'm so proud of you!" Leila took Erika hands, jumping up and down happily.

"Uhm, sooo...if you are not taking the senpais in, then who will replace as your new crew members?" asked Sheska.

"Well...starting with you two, I guess..." Erika scratched her chin lightly, blushing a bit.

By her words, Leila's face got brighter and brighter, obviously saying: 'Ohmygosh! This is the BEST day ever!'

"Wow." expressed Sheska.

_Wow?_

Sheska quickly covered her mouth, blushing harder than Erika and Leila.

"I mean! I'm very honored...Erika-senpai." She said. "But...I'm just a first year...and I didn't participate with you and senpais back in the...62nd."

"I know. And Leila-san here has quit the Sensha-do for a while. But she has earned the third-class license as a radio operator. An acquired skill that you couldn't let it go to waste."

"Ohh, Erika-chan..." She was touched by Erika's words.

"It's true that the senpais more skilled and fluent with the control of heavy tanks but what I about to do...well...let's just say with a new...implementing on Kuromorimine's strategy. And the first thing of the list I need to do is getting a new crew for myself."

"Starting with us!" Leila was in glee. "I'm so glad that I took that radio operator glass as my extracurricular activity."

"...what's the reason for you to join such glass, Leila-senpai?"

"I was bored!" She answered flatly.

"..."

"..."

The twin-tailed quickly got blushed hard.

"Come on! You should know that I hate being a bench-warmer! So I just go with it when I got sit out of a practice match."

_That explains why I usually didn't see her._

"So at this moment, we have...a commander, a radio operator, and a loader." Sheska included herself in. "That leaves a driver and a gunner."

"Don't worry. We are going to meet our new driver now. Let's hope she is interested..."

Suddenly, Leila hugged one of Erika's arm, clinging closer.

"Hihi, I'm so proud of you, Erika-chan."

"For taking you in?"

"Uhm! But beside from that, you have changed, Erika-chan. For the best." She said, holding back her emotional tears. "And here I was so worry for you."

"How come?"

"Well...that...second defeat. I feared that it would have gotten to you so bad. I mean, I saw you threw a temper tantrum when your tank's track got snapped."

_Wait. She said that she saw me did that...in front of a live national TV...? That means..._

The new Kuromorimine Commander soon crumbled herself with a dark cloud above her head.

"E-Erika-chan!?"

"Erika-senpai!"

"I'm...I'm alright..."

_God. That was...I knew I have a temper but that was...so bad!_

Erika felt that she needs to fix the attitude first, but in a way, she's glad that she was doing it at the moment.

"I actually wanted to ask this..." Erika decided to change the subject. "How did you two get to know each other?"

Leila and Sheska looked at each other, then smiled.

"I’ve met Leila-senpai in my very first day on this Kuromorimine School Carrier. I got…trouble with directions…and she helped me."

"It was a bit...cheesy but it sure was a fun day for both of us."

"Yes it was. Just like Sensha-do. We trust each other and putting your strength together to move the tank."

"In your case, I've put my mind and heart to find your little cute apartment, Sheska-chan."

"Hihi, true."

"And just like Sheska-chan has said. Sensha-do is all about teamwork and friendship. And you are bringing those two on board, putting skills and rank aside...well, maybe skill too, but you know what I mean!"

"Yeah..."

"So anywhere you go, Erika-chan, even to the depth of hell! We will follow you!"

...

...

At least that was what Leila had boasted earlier.

"Uhm…Erika-chan? Where are we exactly?" Huddled together with her kouhai (underclassmen), the two were trying to keep up with the leading Erika who didn't show any sign of fear at all.

"Welcome to the... ** _dark side_** of Kuromorimine." Erika said along with a smirk.

"You don't say!" Leila was not amused. "It's obviously such a seedy place..."

Erika smiled, enjoying those two's reaction like they're visiting a haunted house.

Because she couldn't exactly use the same entrance from the third-year dormitory so Erika decided to take the alternative route to go down the lower decks by using the elevator and a few long ladders' climbing (with a certain song playing in the background, how strange).

As the group marched on Erika’s (somewhat) instinct and memory to get to that specific location, they passed over a group of sailors sitting by a corner.

"Th-these people down here...are they...delinquents?" Sheska asked, showing extreme nervous.

"Dropouts? Maybe?" Leila tried to avoid their not-so-friendly gaze.

"Is this legal for us to be down here? S-shouldn’t we call the Feldgendarmerie to come down here?" Sheska asked.

When her question was delivered, a hand abruptly clasped on Sheska's small shoulder along with a line.

"You go ahead make that call and I'll make sure that you will never see the light of day again!"

The two girls immediately screamed out, echoing throughout the narrowed hallway.

" _GAAHH! ! !_ Please forgive me!"

The foreman promptly turned back with her readied ball-fists. Erika had learned some basic self-defense techniques but she would rather avoided using it but when it has come down to this. She will be the one to strike first and **hard**.

Just a second away for Erika to put her legs to jump. An unexpected line had made her stop.

"Oh hey! Is it you, Erika-senpai?"

_Eh?_

The hostile act immediately dropped as smiles were formed behind the (delinquent?) sailors wearing scarfs.

"Yo Erika-san, coming back so soon?"

"Hey, Erika-senpai."

“Ehh…ehh?”

Leila and Sheska were utterly confused, did not know what was happening.

"You come down here for the Eden?" asked a sailor.

"...Y-yes! We are just heading down to the Eden." Erika answered.

"Right-right. Go ahead, go ahead! Just go straight down, Erika-san."

"Thanks..." She nodded in return.

_Calling out my first name so casually like that...When did we get so friendly all of sudden?_

The trio soon continued on their way without further incident, or rather, they were not ignored like invisible air but was greeted in a friendly way by every sailor they met on the way, specifically to Erika.

"Wow Erika-chan. You are rather quite famous down here!"

"Yeah…it surprised me too."

_Honestly, what 'else' did I do at that night?_

Erika tried to crack her brain to remember it, but the memory was somehow been blocked. It was hazy...but she felt...good, rather quite well. It was like she threw away that doubtless and unexplained heavy feel out her chest, allowing her to take action and assume the most important role at Kuromorimine.

~0~

"Garden of…Eden." Leila and Sheska read out the sign hanging above.

Erika playfully opened the door as she said.

"Ladies first."

"Oh my, Erika-chan. Thank you!"

Sure enough, the two was astonished to what they saw. However, it's day time so it wasn't as impressive as the other day when the members of Sensha-do were here. If Erika took them here by tonight, it would blew their mind.

At the present, there was a handful of sailors occupying the bar, but it was enough to impress the two about such place is existed right beneath the upstanding Kuromorimine Girls High School.

"Uhm...Erika-senpai. This is...one big thumb of rule violation right?"

"Sheska." Erika placed her hand on the first-year's shoulder along with a smile. "You go ahead make that call, and I will make sure that you will never see the light of day again."

" _Commander_ please!"

Leaving the joke aside, Erika’s intention of coming down here was to meet a certain person who was in the bar.

Having her icy blue eyes scanned the room, she soon located the dark-haired girl who was occupying herself with an arcade machine.

Cadenza Gatti, an international student from Italy enrolled in Kuromorimine at the start of second year of High School Division. However, it’s a wrong transfer when she wanted to join Anzio instead.

And that's not the only thing Erika has learned on her profile. There was one 'covered up' incident of how she got involved with Feldgendarmerie (maybe an exaggerated name for Morals Discipline Committee) a few months back before she officially joined the Sensha-do team.

The detail was unclear but the one who sorted it out in the end was none other than Karen-senpai.

If Erika was not mistaken, she remembered that Cadenza was the only one who bolted her ass out as fast as a cat to the back door when 'Actung' was boomed across the room.

Approaching closer to Cadenza from behind, Erika had a closer look that she had a dark-colored hair with a light skin tone. Her smooth-looking thighs were…thicc than hers.

Erika also noticed there’s a stack of trash and soda cans all over her seat.

_How long that girl has been sitting there?_

Looking over to the right side of Cadenza, the second seat of the arcade racing machine was fortunately untainted from the girl’s littering.

_'Try to beat her at her own game', hah?_

Erika remembered the phone conversation of her with Karen-senpai.

/ / /

« So...summary and all. You want to have my driver, Erika-chan? »

"Yes."

« Oh mind! So bold! »

"Please, Karen-senpai! Don't make it sounds weird!"

« Hehe, sorry. Well, maybe it's a good thing for both sides. After that final match, she and Yumiko had quite a clash. Stupid reason though, but I guess it's good to have her to join your new crew, Erika-chan. »

"Yeah...about **that**. You said that I just... _blurted_ it out that I would become your new Commander while I was singing on stage?"

Erika wanted to confirm again. While it's really bad to learn how she had revealed it, fortunately for Erika, the senpais somehow already aware that she would become the new commander so there's no disturbance among them or anyone who dare to challenge her for the Commander position.

« Uh-hum. And don't take it as a bad way, Erika-chan. But you _were_ a terrible singer. »

"Uhh..." Erika made a face-palm, holding the phone weakly.

_Oh god. Why? How exactly did I get drunk by the bar's atmosphere and that hell-tasted rum?_

« Anyway, continue on about the driver. Cadenza is a hard one to approach though. Rarely talk to other people and always goes with Spanish tongue to get out of trouble. »

"You mean...Italian?"

« Italian, Spanish. They are sounded the same. »

_Why is she acting like an American-stereotype?_

"...So how did you get to her?"

« Not telling~ Maybe one million yen could get me answer that. »

"...I'm not paying for that."

« Boo! You're no fun. » Erika could tell that Karen-senpai was making a childish pouting over the phone.

« Anyway, this is for the future of Kuromorimine so I can give you a hint. Try to beat her at her own game. Then she might be interested in hearing of what you have to say. »

"Understood.” There was a brief pause. “...do senpai have someone else to replace as your new driver?"

« Be surprised, Yumiko is actually taking care of that. She has someone...who owned her a favor. »

_One less problem for me…Have to check who it is though._

"Thank you, Karen-senpai."

« You own me a date now, Erika-chan. See ya~ »

_/ / /_

_So the only way of getting through to her would be this._

Wordlessly, Erika settled herself into the unoccupied seat next to Cadenza. She inserted the free quarters into the slot and the game was soon initiated.

 **« NEW CHALLENGER APPEARED!** **»** The arcade machinery voice spoke up along with those words appeared on screen.

The pair of dark green eyes soon turned to Erika.

"Va Bene. (Alright.)"

She then put another chocolate cigar into her mouth and initiated the game.

**« PLEASE SELECT YOUR CAR! »**

To what Erika saw on the screen, there were 3 types: A Red car. A Blue car, and a Green car.

The Red one's stats were quite balance. A jack-of-all-stats, what Erika would call.

She looked through the other two.

The Blue one's stats was heavily focused on turning, having the speed low.

The Green one was the opposite, strong in acceleration, weak in turning.

It's been too long, or rather...not familiar with the controller consisted of the steering wheel and two pedals, Erika decided to choose the red car.

On the other side, Cadenza picked the blue one.

**« PLEASE CHOOSE YOUR DRIVING SKILL!** **»**

There were two modes: MANUAL or AUTOMATIC

Erika noticed her opponent had already chose the manual side.

So she too, picked the same choice.

**« RACER. START YOUR ENGINE!** **»**

The background music along with car engines were roaring out loud.

Once everything was done, the screen shifted to an animated cutscene, showing two long lines of a dozen cars and it soon refocused at the back of the player’s chosen car in third-person shooting.

Immediately, the signal red orbs started to go all the way till the green one.

**« GO! ! »**

Erika quickly shifted her gear while stepping on the pedal.

The music and car's mimic engine sound quite gave her a feel that she was driving a car, but it still couldn't complete to what she usually rode in real life.

A few seconds in, Erika already received a cheer.

"Come on Erika-chan! Show her what you're made of!"

"(Cute girlfriend you have got back there, Comandante.)” The girl said in Italian.

"If you're trying to disrupt my concentration. Don't!" Erika did a perfect turn at a sharp corner. "You are just wasting your breath."

Despite Erika's temper and vicious tongue, one good thing about her that she was a determine one. Once she's on something, she would never give it up half-way.

It was a bit tricky at first but Erika soon got the hand of it. She then managed to drive pass every AI car. It’s afterward that the race between the two real racers was finally began.

The two were already half-way through the racing course. At a sharp-turning corner, Erika hit the break hard, allowing her car to make the turn without hitting the wall, however, the blue one maneuvered over it at ease thanks its specs, making Erika's car down to the 2nd place.

"Not so fast!" Erika shouted, shifting the gear as she pressed the gas pedal timely to accelerate faster.

The gap between the Red and the Blue was shortening as they were reaching to the finish line.

_Now it's time!_

Erika decide to make a breath through, she shifted it to the fifth gear, however, with some bad luck, the shifting gear had made the Erika's car suddenly go drag. Erika realized that the forth gear somehow has been shifted back to the third.

_Shit! The shifting gear is...!_

With the fatal error had happened to the Red car, it was a golden opportunity for the Blue car. Cadenza shifted to the last gear, accelerating to top speed in seconds, leaving Erika behind and crossed over the finish line.

The left screen showed a big word [ **WINNER! !** ] along with firework while the right one showed [ YOU LOST... ].

"Oh no..." Leila wanted to cry for such a sad defeat.

"Haah..." Erika listlessly leaned her back on the chair along with an annoyed sigh.

"Non male. Non male. (Not bad. Not bad.)" The Italian girl spoke. "You're pretty good."

The game ended and the two racers quietly removed themselves from the seats to talk properly face-to-face.

"Don't feel too bad. The shifting gear on that side sometimes acted funny...if you have picked the automatic mode, you wouldn't have a trouble with it. But then again, you wouldn't able to close that gap between us."

"Getting cocky there." Erika said, placing one hand on her hips.

"Scusate. (Sorry.) When it comes to speed, I just care about winning."

"So how come you didn't join the Anzio?" asked Leila whose face frowned a bit. "Their tankettes should be fast enough for your feet."

"Just some wrong stupid paper works. And my parents already paid the fee for my whole school's second year so if I want to leave. Have to wait for the next year."

"That's pity." There was no sympathy feeling behind her voice.

"Leila-senpai..." Sheska called out for her attitude.

"I'm guessing that competing with me over the racing game isn't your objective."

"That's right. I want you to join my crew here, as a driver."

"Oh?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Karen-senpai has told me about your...fallout with Yumiko-san."

Hearing the last name, the driver clicked her tongue.

"Tsk! That stupido (stupid) happy-trigger."

"...What happened between you two exactly?"

"You do know a Panzer have to be stationary for a moment to shoot and hit the target right?"

The three nodded simultaneously.

"In my case well...I've disappointed the gunner...sometimes, but with good reason!" She said.

"At that last hill battle, when we were approaching toward the Ooarai tanks, I have to scream out at her not to fire the gun, otherwise the tracks would have snapped. Trust me, I do the math."

_An internal conflict right in the middle of battle? No wonder they could get away..._

"Our idea is always like water and oil, so yeah...staying away from her would be a good breath of fresh air for a while."

"Uhm...Erika-chan, will she be joining with us...permanently?" asked Leila.

"Temporary. Permanently. Either way works for me. As long as I can get away from that lousy shooter." Cadenza said, looking at the two girls behind Erika.

"I'm guessing the twin-tail here would be the radio operator."

"Hey, my name is not twin-tail. **Is** Leila, Leila Rou. And how do you know that I'm a radio operator?"

"Woman institution. And you are?" She turned to the long-haired girl.

"Francesca, I'm a first year. My current position in the tank is a loader."

"A loader hah...you would become a great friend to Lotte."

"And how would you know that?" Leila asked skeptically.

Furtively, the black-haired Italian gave a look, noticing how the German girl's body was...'humble'.

"...Woman institution." She repeated the answer.

"That's four. Only one to go." Erika said.

"Perhaps you can count me in too?" The four girls turned their head to the voice.

Appeared before them was a young sailor girl wearing a black bandana over her red hair. She was averaged-size like everyone else but the way she walked was confident and bearing some...rebellious attitude. Her amber eyes, they're sharp, like a hawk.

"You are…the one who had scored a hit on Karen-senpai despite she put up the shield." Erika said, recalling back at that night.

"Ho-ho. You remembered that? I'm flattered."

"And later on you screamed out: 'curse you Nekota' or something."

"Yeah, leave that part out is good..." She was not happy as she blushed a bit. "That's a rival's stupid name I often meet in the online match."

"Okay...And you are?" Leila asked.

"Call me Kai. No need to add '-san'. Just Kai."

"Uhm...you're a sailor…Kai. Why do you want to join Sensha-do?" The twin-tailed continued her inquiry.

"To be honest, I want to have some action. The Naval Studies Department does have its moments but...I rather want to get real close to it, _up close and personal_."

"Do you have experience with tank, Kai?" asked Erika.

"She does, and one hell of a crack shot too. I can vouch for that." said Cadenza, surprising everyone.

"Occasionally, we took a small number of sailors to enjoy the tank ride and have them fire the gun." She explained. "Kai here. First time. First bullseye. With the Elefant's 88mm gun."

"Whoa!" The loader and the radio operator were astonished.

"Hehe, that was really something." Kai couldn't control her teeth smile.

"Don't worry much about the procedure, Comandante (Commander)." Cadenza said. "Just sign it up as her...extracurricular activity."

"I really don't think that's how paperwork work like that."

"Just leave me that gunner seat, Erika…I mean, Commander." Kai said. "Karen-senpai will take care the rest of it."

"Karen-senpai..." Erika shook her head lightly, amazed by the way her name was mentioned. "She is really a rebel, isn't she?"

_But still...with her character, how come she didn't show up before Commander Nishizumi and me sooner? The 62nd might have turned out differently...so why?_

"Well...I guess beggars can't be choosers. So…welcome aboard!" declared Leila who happily shook the hand of the fifth member, while introducing herself and Sheska.

_Leila, Sheska, Cadenza, Kai and me. Five unlikely members in one team. Maybe this was how Miho began her Sensha-do at Ooarai as well._

Then the vacant stage where Ritaiko and Geshiko sang together caught Erika's eyes.

Wordlessly, she approached and walked up to it, gaining the vantage view of the room. It was clearer when there's no show light to dull her vision.

"Uhm, Erika-chan. What are you doing?" asked Leila.

"S-sorry. I'm just wanted to remember what exactly I did here when I was on the stage."

“Eh? You have come up there and sang?”

“Well…”

Hearing it, the 'veteran' driver and the 'rookie' gunner looked at each other.

The veteran shook her head secretively to which she received a quick nod from the rookie.

"Cadenza, Kai. May I ask you two what exactly did I do back then?"

The two quickly recomposed themselves and answered.

"Well...you sang, _a lot_." Kai said.

"And don't take this as a wrong way or anything, Comandante.” Cadenza continued. “But you are a bad singer."

"..."

"..."

"..."

There was a pinkness appeared on Erika's cheeks.

"Ehhh...So! Who wants to go for a Panzer ride?" She quickly changed the subject.

~0~

It was such a beautiful day, the sun was sunny, and the wind was cool. A perfect opportunity for our little guy named...let's call him Dave. He's a squirrel, yes, but he has a big heart and big ambition. Today was the day for him to show _her_ what he has got. Body, checked. Hair, checked. Clothes...nah, unchecked. A fine-looking golden nut as a present? Double-checked! Now it's time to present it with loudest voice he could summon.

However, before he could move in for the kill, a terrifying roar of a metal beast had alerted every living being on that tree. Soon, all hell broke loose as the ground was shaking terribly. The birds took off, as well as his female mate bolted away to the upper branches. Not only that, his perfect gift was slipped away from his palms, falling to its imminent doom. Dave promptly reached his claws out, trying to save it, but sadly he failed and soon fell down along with it to the earth.

He was luckily landed onto the thick grasses acting as a cushion. Dave was unharmed but as for his present? Already stained by the dirt.

Dave was not happy. These stupid metal beasts always destroyed his best chance with the girl!

He turned his predator-like eyes to the one metal beast had ruined his date. Before he could have located it, the earthquake continued, making him to launch himself into a little hole in the ground for protection. Not a moment too soon, one particular beast made a pass over on top of him with such speed, fast and vigorously like it was on drug and along with its terrifying howling that would imprinted at the back of his mind...

" ** _YAAA-HOOOOOOO! !_** " The redhead with a black bandana screamed out from the top of her lung.

"Now I see that you always seem to have issue with every heavy tank." Erika said.

Cadenza sat in the driver position as a norm but as for Erika, surprisingly, instead of assuming the commander seat, she gave it to Kai who was experiencing the feel of riding a tank at this moment.

"This is amazing!" Kai said, putting both of her hands in the air to enjoy the cool wind. "I always thought that tanks have to move slowly alongside with their infantries but this speed is as fast as a car."

"Well, since there are no soldier boys or girls in play with Sensha-do, every mechanic have a wild dream to tune up these motor engine, adding a bit more with horse power." Cadenza said, grinning. "To the point that a few tanks can drift like T90 did on the internet."

"So that's how they made that one game about cute girl and tanks. You can _freaking_ drift a Maus in it." Kai’s words quickly captured Cadenza's attention.

"What is up with a game defied all logic and common senses? I'm sickened but curious!"

…

…

Standing on the observation deck, Leila and Sheska observed the fast moving Panzer II with their binoculars.

"Senpais sure are having fun."

"Aww...I want to have a ride with Erika-chan too."

…

…

The Panzer II quickly made a sharp turn, slashing the dirt and sand all over and then drove onward.

"Haha! Just like old times. It's a good thing that Kuromorimine keeps a few of these in the hangar for training purpose, the ones with Chief's customized engine, no less!" Cadenza shifted the gear, still keeping her foot on the gas pedal, accelerating the speed further.

Erika's head moved in all four directions by the tank's momentum. Even though she had experienced and endured some of the worst rockiness inside the tank, but **_this_** was above of all. Her head and her stomach were starting to take their tolls.

"I somehow got the picture that Moral Disciplinary girls didn't want to talk about it..."

"Hehe, I simply gave them a good 'catch me if you can' moment."

"I've heard about it but can you tell it in detail?"

"When I first came here, I really found your curfew was a bit suffocated so I often sneaked myself out, get some breath of fresh air and freedom sense, you know?" Cadenza said, shifting to a new gear.

"But then one night they caught me, when I was taking a nap inside a Panzer II."

"And you then started the engine?" Erika asked, finding it’s rather…absurd.

"I was panicked, really! Imagine that you were sleeping in bed, nice and cozy and all until someone knocked on the door all of sudden from outside. What would you do back then?"

"You ran over a Kübelwagen." said Kai, who seemed more aware of the detail.

"It's their fault for parking right in front of me."

" _While_ doing that, you **almost** ran over the driver as well."

"It's her fault for not moving her fat butts out of it."

"...I really haven't heard of this at all." Erika was amazed by the story.

"The Intelligent Department simply did at what they do best, Comandante. Sweep it under the rug."

"So how did Karen-senpai exactly come in after that whole mess of yours?"

"Not after it. In the **middle** of it!"

"...Please don't tell me that she actually jumped on top of the _moving_ tank and convinced you to stop..."

"You know what, Comandante? You have just finished my story!"

"Oh mein Gott..."

The joy of this Panzer ride would last for a while.


	6. Panzerlied (Second half)

The joy ride of Panzer II had come to an end as the steadily parked the panzer inside the tank sheds.

"Grazie! (Thank you!) It's been a while since I got to drive like that."

"Even though I didn't have the chance to fire the gun but that was pretty fun."

Both of them were genuinely enjoyed the ride wholeheartedly.

"Well, we better to give you a crash course of how to be the best gunner, with me driving it."

"...Any advice?"

"Oh you know…(how to say it in Japanese)…" Cadenza muttered in Italian. "…Keep calm and…ute. Ute. Ute. Ute! (Fire. Fire. Fire!)"

"That's not helping…"

The two chuckled at first then came out a heartfelt laughter.

Looking at the two new crewmembers who showed their bright teeth smiles, it made Erika realized: what was her first time when she first joined the Sensha-do? She _did_ get to enjoy it like that, didn't she...? Apart from her arrogance and all…

"…I guess this is how you guys enjoy the Sensha-do." Erika said.

"Of course this is how we enjoy it, Comandante. It's a sport." Cadenza quickly replied. "Sensha-do is not _war_ , so no need to keep that frowning face all the time."

Hearing that, a frowning face was formed but soon Erika deformed it along with a faint smile.

_I guess I was being too hard on myself…_

_I wanted to fulfill everyone's expectation, for Maho Nishizumi, for Kuromorimine…to the point I was sightless to other things._

Unwillingly, her mind flashed a certain face of a short, brown-haired girl.

_Miho…all she ever wanted was to enjoy the Sensha-do. But in Kuromorimine, **we** never gave her that moment at all…_

_I took this ...the Sensha-do just way too seriously..._

" _Salute!_ (Hello!) Cadenza, Erika-chan!" The call soon made Erika return from her own thought.

"Salve (Hello) Karen." The dark-haired Italian greeted back to the third-year auburn-haired with silver eyes who approached to them with a waving hand.

"How is it going with your new team?"

"Not too bad. I'm starting to like them."

"Aww~ That makes my heart wounded." Karen immediately started own her little act, having her hands clutched over her heart to show how 'wounded' she was. "Am I not a good tank commander to you?"

"You can blame all of it on your gunner, Karen." Smiling, Cadenza placed a hand on her hips. "So who is your new autista (driver)?"

"I haven't met her yet, actually. But Yumiko is giving her a crash course at the moment."

"(I pity her already.)" Cadenza mumbled.

"And…Kai?" Karen recognized a third face in the group. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to contribute my marksmanship skill for Erika's team here."

"Oh wow! Guess you have found a diamond in the rough, Erika-chan. I'm jealous."

"I guess…" She simply shrugged.

"But, say…aren't you the one who tossed that bottle hitting me?"

"There were a lot of stuffs throwing at you, Karen-senpai. Could be me or someone else." She said it smoothly.

"…Fine. But don't think you can get away with that."

Her voice was serious.

Karen then noticed a new approaching pair by the shed's entrance.

"Those two over there are also your new recruits, Erika-chan?"

"Yes they are."

"They're…so cute!" She exclaimed. "How about we swap them with our members for time to time?"

"Ahh...I'll think about it..."

"Cool!"

...

...

The time of the day soon quickly passed by. Erika and her teammates, together with Karen-senpai had a little hangout outside the school before the curfew. Erika and Karen sat together on the bench with refreshment and snack in their hands, looking out to the vast ocean and sunset from the starboard side of the school carrier.

"I guess this Blitzkrieg of yours is having a good start." Karen said.

Erika made a small laugh by the name. "Still a long way to go."

"Well we are not leaving you just yet. We are your senpais after all, we work together as a team, and teach our cute kouhais (underclassmen) with experiences we have on the field."

"I'm counting on you, _senpai_." Erika formed a smile.

"Erika-chan. Since you are our new commander, make sure you revamp the whole training program and schedule ok?"

"Uh-huh..." Erika thought that it would rather a big job.

"And do something about the curfew too. It's killing us!" It sounded like she wanted it to be convenient for them to have more time to muck around.

"I'll think about it...?"

"Don't think. Do it! Let the girls do what they love. After all, we are just human..." Karen paused her sentence, looking out to the scenery.

"With a mind on its own..."

"?" That last part Erika couldn't quite heard it well because a sudden gust of wind had drowned over her words.

~0~

"Wow…"

A general verbal expression when someone walked into your house and exclaimed by the very first thing which promptly hit their eyes by the moment they opened the door.

Although Erika's place was a dormitory room with 35 square meters, it somehow had been transformed into an archive room, with piles of cardboard boxes containing every file and record of every Kuromorimine Sensha-do team member.

"Wow. Indeed." Just when Erika thought that these 'spams' couldn't get any worse...

"Aren't...aren't you too mad about this?" Leila asked.

"Actually, I'm not even mad. This is amazing. The girls were nice enough to stack them up together so neatly."

"And you want us to...'battle' _these_ together with you?" Cadenza asked.

"...Yup." Erika said the one word.

" _Yup!_ " Kai repeated it. "It was nice knowing you guys, bye!"

"I'll join with you too." Cadenza had the same idea as well.

Before they could have make their escape, their shirt's collar was grabbed by Leila.

"Get back here! Friends don't abandon each other!"

"I need to save my gray matters for gaming and sleep! Not for those papers!"

"You can sleep while you're doing it."

"That does not make any sense!"

"(Damn, this girl's gripping is tight. What is she made of?)"

"We are quite a bunch of misfit ragtag, aren't we?" Sheska said with a sweat drop, looking at the struggling trio.

"You can say that again..." Erika sighed.

...

...

Erika rather found odd that her little haven suddenly became a spot of hangout with her new…teammates. Although for a different reason why they were here…it was something. For too long, Erika has gotten used of being alone. This sure was a good change for her.

"So where do we start?"

"First thing first. Let's go review of what we know about every current member in Kuromorimine Sensha-do. Their weaknesses and strengths. I need to know and be reminded again."

Every crew was equal and functioned as one inside the tank but looking at the example from Cadenza and Yumiko. If the gear cogs were unfit to each other, the whole machine wouldn't function properly.

Crew members assigned for a specific tank was usually chose from basing on their scores and how well they performed. Maho often placed strength to go with strength, never with weakness.

Weak wasn't meant it would weak on all areas. Taking Leila for example, she wasn't a good tank commander but she was keen on paying attention and interacted with the others so she was sharp to know what they like and dislike, so putting her in the radio operator seat is well on the communicating between tanks during the battle. Overall, each and every individual's factor was important. Erika wanted to change that and she needed to start from square one.

The files were being put in proper category by Cadenza and Sheska, separating the first-year members, second-years and third-years as they read through briefly. Erika and Leila picked a random file to read, to review. As for Kai (with some beggings for her own sake), she got to play her game while looking through the files (for a little bit).

After processing another third-year student, Sheska picked up another one.

"Oh this is…Karen's file."

Sheska opened the said profile. She then read it quietly for a moment.

"Karen-senpai...What kind of person is she?"

To everyone, it was an interesting question.

"Sheska-chan, we literally just met her like...two hours ago."

"I know!" Sheska blushed. "But hearing the words from other person to another. It's hard for me to get it accurately."

"And what do you think, when you saw her?" Erika asked.

"Well...she is like everyone had described. Strong, mature, independent. But there is something more...intriguing about her."

"Hmm...True." Erika nodded, agreeing her point.

Leila expressed a bit troubled on her face after she gave a thought of it more properly. What did she know about Karen-senpai? Nothing…

"That's the vague detail you would go for." Karen's former teammate said. "She got guts, you know. She even got involved with a mugging that one time."

All four heads turned with a shock on their face.

"She...mugged someone…?"

"Oh sorry! I mean she _stopped_ , she helped someone from being mugged."

"Somehow I already expected that." Erika said nonchalantly.

"Oh? And did you expect that Karen is the type of person who has the **_dirt_** on someone?"

"…No. I don't…" Erika spoke mechanically while her eyelid was twitching. "…How?"

"A **Black Note**." The announcement brought the three's verbal astonishment.

"Oh my!"

"Ooh!"

Kai simply showed a satisfying teeth smile when she was able to slay a boss of a dungeon.

"That's how Karen was able to…bail me out. Those Disciplinary girls were wanting to kick me out of the ship back then after that incident. But when she showed these little pages of that note…those faces were priceless! Too bad I can't hear what they actually said back then because I was inside a classroom, seeing them outside behind the glasses."

"Something that would make everyone obey no matter how refusal they were…" Sheska muttered.

"Dangerous…too dangerous!" The twin-tailed yelped as her face turned blue. "What if she got some sort of dirt on me?!"

_Leila. What kind of secret you fear people would find out?_

"Maybe I should stay away from her from now on…" Leila continued.

"Karen isn't the one who filling those blank pages though."

The statement made her eyes glinted.

" **Who** then?"

"It's Lotte, one of the members. She has a bit of detective blood in her."

"Detective blood?"

"Her granddad was a Private Eye, so you could say where her skill was coming from."

Hearing it, Erika opened Lotte's profile again on the laptop. It's a face that would be hard to miss and yet…

"Is it just me or she somehow did not show up on the training grounds at all?" Erika inquired.

"Keep this as a secret, Comandante." Cadenza said. "Lotte is rather active outside than inside the panzer."

"What do you mean? Are you…saying that she never…participate the training sessions?"

"Weelll… _mostly_." She scratched the back of her head. "But she did participate back in those matches of Tournament."

"..." Erika simply let out a long sigh while massaging a temper side.

_A Sensha-do member is **not** actually a Sensha-do member? How in the world did they get away with this?!_

"How...did Karen-senpai put you and the others into one team like that without having Commander Nishizumi noticed it?" Sheska asked. It was a good question.

"Ahh…it's just there?" Cadenza scratched her cheek, shrugging. "To be honest, I am… _was_ the latest additional member to their team. They were already together by the time I joined up. Leave out the gunner, I personally got on friendly term with others...but..."

"But?"

"...Di nulla. (It's nothing.)" The dark-haired shook her head, waving it off. "Never mind."

"Karen-senpai...how strange..." Erika muttered, drawing others' attention.

"Back in my first year at Kuromorimine...Karen-senpai was...well, I only saw her as..."

There's a pause.

"She was just a senpai among other senpais. I did not remember any...anything special about her at all. Isn't that right, Leila-san?"

"Now that you mention it…there wasn't anything about her that has…impressed me at all."

"Well, she did have some encounters with Feldgendarmerie back in her first year." Sheska said, remembering a few conversations with her classmates about Karen-senpai.

"That's only because her sister was involved as well." Cadenza stated.

"And…how much do we know about Karen's sister?" Leila raised another topic.

"Not much to say." This time, the redhead joined in the talk. "Most simply say that she is a wild puma. And I’ve heard that Karen's sister is in All-stars University."

"Shimada school style. That's really something." Leila said.

"So the reason she didn't pull any stunt back in her second year because she was still…upset with her sister graduating out of school?" Sheska asked.

"Yeah, maybe…" Erika closed her eyes, crossing her arms. "It's still strange though. It was liked after that…the 61st final... Karen-senpai…changed. That's when she made herself...well-known to everyone. She got in a lot of troubles way more now than she did back in her first year."

"A person like her could be more fit in with Saunders' spirit." Leila said.

"Sì (Yes), Saunders can be a perfect fun place for Karen but to her, Kuromorimine was the place where she upholds her utmost respect to it, to its Sensha-do, despite the strictness and all."

"Then again, we are starting to like it you know." She continued. "Having friends, breaking rules together, mucking around with those Disciplinary girls, especially with that four-eye Abe girl. It was fun…"

"Back when we were…in that dried canal. I and Yumiko were just about to tear each other throat with our nonsen… _her_ nonsense."

"Karen suddenly laughed." She chuckled. "It was not forceful or out of crazy. It was…genuine, and her laughter brought out the laugh from all of us."

"There was no tear or anything. We simply laughed because we felt good, because it was Sensha-do."

"And that had made me realizing that I've fought. I really fought for the sake of Kuromorimine."

The other four silently looked at the Italian girl, even though she was involuntary to be here but hearing how she really fought hard for the victory of Kuromorimine, their chosen school.

"Thank you Cadenza." Leila politely bowed to her.

"You work hard Cadenza." Kai said.

"Now you are taking the helm of Kuromorimine Sensha-do team." She turned to the new Sensha-do Commander. "I'm sure you can do the job, Erika."

"You're giving me too much credits, Cadenza." Erika said, with a hint of embarrassed.

"It would be a while to change the Kuromorimine, unless there is a wild storm appeared right from within, twisting everything up and down. Then maybe we can do it a lot faster..."

A moment passed until Erika had a new question raised in her mind.

"By the way, why did Karen simply call you with….first name only? No '-chan' with it. Or shorten nickname."

"Semplice (simple). We are her teammates and we earned the respect of being call like that. And trust me, if you get to be called as 'Commander Erika' from Karen. That means you have earned her respect."

"Commander Erika…" Erika muttered, then a dark laughter followed. "He…hehe…haha…"

"Erika-chan. Your smile…is scary."

"Call me Erika only from now on, Leila-san."

"No fair! Erika-chan is using the authority to abuse me!"

The laughter soon followed, watching the skit between Erika and Leila. The dark-haired Italian smiled silently, turning her eye toward the opened file of the said person.

_Everyone shared the sadness of that defeat. Karen-senpai, however, she seemed the only one who was 'least' affected by it. She shrugged it off faster than anyone else…even **me**._

~0~

It was a quiet night like any other night for Kuromorimine School Carrier to sail peacefully on its own pace. The streets were almost vacant of life. Every house had turned off its light as everyone already fallen asleep to recharge their energy so they can be readied for the next day.

However, inside the tank sheds of Kuromorimine, the mechanics have just finished up maintenance work for the Kuromorimine Panzers.

"Alright, final checking is completed."

"That's a wrap!" declared one of the mechanics. "Now let's go get some beer."

"Not just yet guys. I have just received a new email." said the one holding the tablet.

"Can we just ignore it?"

"No can do. This one is from our dearest Commander."

Hearing that, the guys stopped complaining and decided to hear it. An order coming straight from the top was something they would hardly ignore. The cozy beds were waiting for them have to wait for a bit more.

"What are her orders?"

"She wants us to fit and ready eight tanks. One Panther, one Jagdpanther, two Jagdpanzer IVs, and four Panzer III Ausf. Js."

"That many? For what?"

"A special Sensha-do exercise...its code name is…"

~0~

Today was unlike any other day, usually there would be a bright sun, vast blue sky along with white clouds and birds' chippings. However, the today's weather was bearing thick gray gloomy clouds above as the wind of the sea was getting stronger and colder. They're signs of a storm to come.

Erika, being the Commander (officially still a Vice-commander to everyone), she decided to end the today training for the first-year members. The maneuvering and shoot on the move really put the Panthers' engine on the risk of overheated, having its radiant heat was hot enough to fry an egg.

"Good work, everyone. That's it for your training today." Erika announced to all first years stood in formation. "Dismiss!"

" **HAI!** "

It brought nothing but satisfying smiles on their face. To Erika's new crew, they're showing positive expressions to what they have accomplished back in the training.

"Sheska-chan." The brown-colored twin-tailed called out to the long-haired one. "You rather surprised me today. You're able to load the shell that fast in just 7 seconds."

"Well…I often used the gripper when I have nothing to do." Sheska blushed lightly, embarrassed by the comment.

"Ok." The dark-haired turned to the red-haired wearing a black bandana. "Your shooting has impressed me is one thing. But how the hell you can make that arch shot while we're still on the move like that?"

"Guess I was good at…math?" Kai answered it vaguely.

"Oh you."

Without a warning, a loud honking noise from the distance quickly captured the girls' attention. To what they saw was vehicles coming in fast in a single column. There were three half-track Hanomag 251s and leading them was a Krupp-Protze.

The column of vehicles came to a stop when they're near to the sheds. Erika saw the one standing in the back of the leading vehicle was none other than Karen-senpai.

_Karen-senpai? What is she doing?_

With quick a hand signal from the third-year auburn-haired directing to the back, all personnel in every Hanomag quickly dismounted and run toward the tank shed.

It was quite a sight, almost like a certain scene where troops were being deployed onto the battlefield.

Even though the girls did partake in such movement like this, it was a first time for them to see it as spectators.

A large number of about forties students invading the shed sure caught the mechanics off guard. They didn't know how to react in such event. Usually, their chief, _the_ Chief, would know how to deal with these girls, unfortunately for them, today was his day-off…

"Guten tag (Good day), we are here for our panzers." Leading the group was a young, mature-looking blonde German girl named Elena. "The ones for the…you know?"

"T-They're over there." The novice mechanic nervously pointed his finger toward the tanks they've prepped last night.

"Danke~ (Thank you~)"

Following Elena behind was Karen, Shiko, Hawisa and other third-year tank commanders. They're all appeared to be flustered for some reason.

"Ohmygosh-ohmygosh! I cannot believe we _actually_ have pulled **it** through!" said one of them.

"And here I felt I have just lost five-year life expectancy back there."

"That face is gonna haunted me for life..."

"Goddamn it, Karen." One of them spoke up to Karen. "You **_are_** the only one who got **balls** here in Kuromorimine."

"Don't say such weird words out loud! And you know that I have to go the toilet _at least_ **three times** and not drinking any water before we go to **_her!_** "

"And here I wished we should have recorded it." Hawisa said it out casually.

"Bitch! Are you crazy?!" They all squealed out unexpectedly, caught everyone surprise.

"…Whatever, girls." Karen sighed. "That was just a walking in the park. Now this is a real deal."

"Yes. Yes. Good luck out there."

"Yeah, you too."

The group's chatter quickly ceased as they approached to their own designated tank without a hint of confusion, like they had planned this beforehand. The blonde German girl climbed on Jagdpanther parking next to the Panther which was soon manned by Karen's crew.

"You ready to do this, Taiga?" Karen turned to a certain short-height girl with long disheveled dark brown hair who was accompanied by a bob cut hair style girl.

"Well, Yumiko-san here was _kindly_ enough to give me a crash course of the driving lesson. But are you really sure you wanted me to get on this?"

"Remember this teensy-tinsy, tiny detail thing, Taiga-san." said the named person behind her with a certain…aura. "I. **Own**. _You_."

"Ughhh…" Her eyes were watering up.

"Now get in there before you embarrass yourself!" Yumiko urged, dragging the poor new driver at one point.

"Hai…(Yes…)"

"Karen-senpai?" A familiar voice had all the Panther crew turned to the approaching light-blond-haired girl and her crew.

"Everyone…What are you senpais doing?" asked Erika.

Karen-senpai showed her usual smile she signaled with her hand to her crew and others to continue on with their preparation.

"…It’s a special emergency drill." She answered.

"Emergency drill?" asked Leila. "Like a…fire drill?"

"Oh no. Not like that. A Sensha-do match actually."

"Ehh? You are doing a Sensha-do match now?"

"But you and who?" Erika asked.

Her grin was getting broader, she soon pointed the index finger at Erika and at herself.

"…You versus us."

"What?!" Leila shouted out.

"You guys are our opponent?" asked Kai. "But we have just finished our training."

"No rest for the wicked." Karen said, chuckling. "Besides, it will take some time for me and my team here to get to our starting point. Maho and...eh... _they_ will give you guys the briefing later."

"Cadenza, can you tell me what this woman is thinking…?" Kai turned her face to Karen's former driver. And Kai stopped just there. For a first time, she noticed the driver's expression was oddly frowned.

"…"

"Cadenza?"

"Stay on your toes, we wouldn't pull any punch out there, ya heard?" Karen said loud enough for the gathering spectators to hear.

"Everyone is readied, Boss." Hawisa reported from her opened hatch.

"Karen-senpai…what exactly are you—”

Erika's sentence was stopped when Karen's hand had placed on her shoulder.

"Erika," Her grip was tighten. "Stay strong. This is Sensha-do too."

For some reason, her entire back was shivering. Never before Erika had experienced such a feeling like this. Even her name, Karen-senpai didn't add '-chan' behind it. Also, senpai's voice, and her silver eyes, they was cold and serious, yet…there was a hint of…anticipating?

"…"

As soon as Karen let go of Erika, her usual smile returned.

"See you on the other side." Waving her hand goodbye briefly, Karen quickly climbed on the Panther's hull as she called out to other Panzers with a loudest voice in the shed.

" **Rogues. Roll out!** "

All eight panzers started their engine as thick gray-black fumes coming out from exhaust pipes, putting their tracks on the motion. Mechanics and students calmly moved away, allowing those tanks to bypass them.

"What was that all about?"

The activity conducted by students lead by Karen, a somewhat infamous character at Kuromorimine brought the confusion among the mechanics, first years, second years as well as third years who didn't join with Karen's group.

The chatter was all over the place, discussing about this sudden special Sensha-do match without telling anyone, about Karen was having some sort of crazy scheme this time.

"Do you know anything about this, Cadenza-san?" Leila asked.

The four turned to the former member of Karen's crew who was expressing a troubled face.

"...I...I think...I do. But it's too soon…"

"Too soon for what...?"

Not for long after the departure of Karen's tank group, another loud honking sounded off in the air, effectively drawing everyone attention. This time, it was a much longer line of convoy consisting a dozen of Opel Blitz trucks.

When it came to a halt, a large number of people dismounted from the vehicles.

Once again, every Sensha-do girl and mechanics were in awed, seeing the moving mass in motion like in a movie. The new arriving group was all dressed in a set of uniform consisting of a black kebi cap, a dark yellow shirt with a short black tie, having a dark-colored blazer put over with matching skirts. Putting aside their different hair length or facial features, there was one exact item hanged around their chest, a Feldgendarmerie-like tag with Kanji characters imprinted on saying: Morals Disciplinary Committee.

Leading ahead such group of rule enforcer was the most renowned girl in Kuromorimine, Maho Nishizumi. When they saw her, they knew something was wrong.

Instead of doing the same thing like previous group, most stopped their feet when they spotted Karen's tank group moving far in a distance.

"Is that them?"

A few pulled out their binoculars to check.

"It is them. They have got the tanks? How?"

"One Panther. One Jagdpanther, two Jagdpanzers, and four Panzer IIIs."

"It's impossible to prepare that many tanks in a short time."

"You." An enforcer called out to a mechanic nearby. "Tell me. Did you fit those tanks for them?"

"Well…yes. We did…"

"They simply _asked_ you to do that?" inquired Maho.

"Well…Commander Nishizumi… _you_ did, actually."

Predictably, faces turned, eyes opened wide. However, the said person remained her usual expression.

"We received an email from you yesterday. Specifically asking us to prepare those tanks for today."

When the mechanic tried to show the evidence on his tablet, the device was snapped away by Maho.

The silence was uncomfortable for the mechanics as Maho Nishizumi read the email's content.

"Codename…Valkyrie. Ha…haha…"

A dry laugh was coming from her. It was brief.

"…That crazy **bitch!** "

It was not a hiss. It was not a mumble. It was a full blown cry out of such words.

"…"

“…”

“…”

The mechanics heard it. The rule enforcers heard it. Erika and her group heard it. Hell. Everyone on field had heard it. Crystal clear.

_Eh?_

_Ehh?_

**_EEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH? ? !_ **

It was a mentally scream coming from every individual with jaws dropping.

Maho Nishizumi was always seen as a calm and collected girl, wearing a stoic face yet hidden an aura that would make every Sensha-do commander of rival schools shivered, but before them now, this girl was extremely **_pissed_**.

_What...what is going on?!_

Erika knew something bad had happened and who could be held for responsible for that?

_Karen-senpai…_

Much to disbelief but her monthly savings would bet on that person but...why?

_Karen-senpai. What did you do?!_

"...Commander Nishizumi." Erika, who was at her best composed, called out. "Can you explain what exactly…has happened?"

"I will tell you what has happened."

All faces immediately turned to the voice, only to see the most iconic black jodhpurs which the person always seen wearing it at work, even at her own house. But putting aside the fashion, what actually scared them was the person's expression was _way, way_ more severe than Maho, even more so than any other time they met face-to-face.

"He-Headmistress!?"

The head of Nishizumi then soon explained to Erika what had just transpired an hour ago.

"…"

Everyone. **Almost everyone** nearby hearing it was either turned white or blue, hoping it was just a...joke...

"...Karen-senpai did **_WHAAATTT? ? !_** "

It was pretty much the one question they all wanted to cry out loud.

~0~

**_– An hour earlier –_ **

There was a knock on the door, unexpectedly. Both Maho and Shiho were aware that there would no meeting with Erika or that four-eye guy from MEXT, especially _not_ with that four-eye guy from MEXT today.

Before either one could have answered, the door's handle was already turned and pushed open, revealing a third-year student with auburn hair and silver eyes. She dressed in a formal Sensha-do uniform and carried a large A3-sized envelope in her hand.

"Excuse us. Headmistress, Commander." She said, briefly bowed before she entered the room.

"Karen?"

She was not the only one who walked in, following her behind was Hawisa, Shiko and other five third-year students, all dressed in Sensha-do uniform as well. A number of people entered the room like this was...ominous.

Standing behind the table, Shiho silently scanned every face in the room. The girls were all wore…a certain seriously expression.

"I believe that you girls do not have an appointment with me today."

"You are correct. We don't." Karen said out flatly.

"What are you doing, Karen?"

Before Maho could have make a step to approach, Shiko, a large muscular body among the group stood right in front of her.

"Please stay right where you are, Commander." Karen said, looking from her shoulder. "…Or I should say, _former_ Commander."

"... _She_ told you?"

"Well...giving her the **drink** was so easy." A smile was formed by Karen's lips.

To what Maho and Shiho saw, they had never, ever saw that kind of smile before. It was...mischievous, similar to that four-eye guy's smirk, but hers was far more...vile.

"Don't worry, those pills are not _addicted_ or anything."

"!?"

Maho wanted to jump on her right now and then but Shiko firmly put a hand before Maho, stopping her. The others behind the muscular girl weren't standing still like statues, they all pulled out something that would make Maho to think twice, stun guns.

"Don't." Shiko shook her head lightly, spoke out slow but clearly.

"…"

Maho frowned, giving the deadly glare to these...interlopers, but she obeyed. Knowing that even if she was able to take down Shiko, others would have incapacitated her with the weapon in their hand. Those girls' eyes were serious, they'd do it.

Having one end was in their control, the leading auburn-haired shifted her silver eyes back to the long-haired woman who still put up her stern expression.

The Headmistress Nishizumi here had earned herself a certain title among the students: The Iron Lady. Although it was not spoke out that freely and _definitely not_ right in front of her or her daughters. After all, they were the Nishizumis.

Karen opened the lip of A3-sized envelope and deliberately poured out its content onto the Headmistress's table. They were pictures, lots of them.

"..."

Wordlessly, the Headmistress picked one among them randomly and looked at it.

Although her face remained impassive, Karen noticed there was a shock briefly flashed through her eyes. She couldn't help it but smirked.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Well, you can't bust us if you don't bust us like _that_." She tapped a finger onto her temper.

"..." Shiho raised her eyebrow out of puzzled.

"It's a thing on the internet. Sorry." Karen sighed, embarrassed a bit since the person didn't get that reference.

"Anyway, if these images upload to the Internet then…boi! It will be one hell of a field day for you, Headmistress. To see this wild fire sprea _—_ "

A sudden loud **BAM!** on table was almost like a strike of thunder, causing every person, even Maho was flinched. Karen, however, remained standing strong where she was, crossing her arms firmly.

"Enough! Get to the point. What exactly is your goal?"

"It's simple actually..."

Karen slowly leaned herself toward the most powerful figure of all in Japan, of the Sensha-do world as well as the master of Nishizumi Style.

While a smile was still maintained on her face, her silver eyes, they were not...

As soon as Karen placed her hands on the edge of the table, her smile disappeared.

Karen drew in one sharp breath so she could say this in a firm tone.

"...We want **you** _and_ the Nishizumi Style to ** _get-the-fuck-out_** of Kuromorimine!"

~0~

It was like stirring up a hornet's nest, _maybe_ even more than that, but at this point, the term was suitable for what Karen and other senpais have done.

They **invoked** the wrath of the Nishizumi…

"She is crazy!"

"Brave, reckless and insane. All three combined together…" Cadenza said, who rather appeared mildly shocked comparing to others, although she still not believed that it actually did happen.

"Is she serious?" asked Kai. "It's not like she can…kick you guys and the Nishizumi Style out of school that easily."

"No. But she plans to bring it down along with her…self. A double suicide." The shock and confused were kept coming from the spectators.

"What do you mean?"

"The photos." Shiho answered.

"What they showed me were photos, taken of their… _mischievous_ activities outside Kuromorimine and in some underground bar."

_Underground bar…does she mean Garden of Eden?_

Erika then noticed the two Nishizumis before her were giving a look, like they're studying her for some reason, especially Maho who was showing a concern look on her face.

"…Is there…something wrong?"

"Erik—"

"Itsumi-san." The Headmistress cut in, drawing Erika's attention to her. "How exactly did you come to associate with those people, with Nakahashi-san in particular? When and how did you meet her?"

The questioning suddenly shifted Erika's thinking brain about Karen and her actions to froze, almost to a blank slate. Then again, of course this would be her problem as well.

"...Well, it was a few days ago, that one afternoon when I was taking a rest by a tree and she then…" Erika paused a bit. "She then…just showed up…"

"And to what event had lead you revealing to them that you would become their new commander?"

"It's they told me that I’ve…blurted it out when I was singing."

"Singing?"

"Well...maybe I did but I don't exactly remember how..." Erika was hesitated. After all, that place was their little hideout, not just for them, also for the sailors. However, when it's coming to this...

"But…I did went inside that bar."

Once she confessed such fact, there was a flash of horror appeared on Maho's face. Shiho, on the other hand, her glare were getting fiercer.

"So they are not doctored photos." Shiho sighed.

"The photos?"

"…They had you in it, Erika." Maho said.

_Eh?_

"Showing you were…doing those _..._ things with them."

_Things? What things?_

"Oh wow! You means those photos?"

The three promptly turned their faces toward the two who were possibly aware of it.

No need to wait for their question, Candeza answered.

"Sorry Erika." Kai said. "Back in the bar, when you were…sleeping. Your sleeping face was so cute so Karen decided to tease you out a bit."

"Oh? And somehow you find that having her consumed the alcohol and drug is fitting to your 'teasing'?"

_Wait, what?_

"Droga (Drug)…?"

At this point, the Italian girl and the sailor/gunner shifted their normal face to a stunned and horrified, realizing this conversation was taking a strange turn.

"What? Aspetta (Wait). People." Cadenza put up a hand while the other one pressed onto her temples. "Aspetta (Wait). What drug?"

"Don't play innocent!" Maho growled. "Her words. Karen's words. They were implying that Erika had been drugged, and you had put those needles into her!"

Leila, Sheska, and many others were all looking at the center of attention with a bewildered face along with growing horror inside their chest.

"Whoa-Whoa-whoa-whoa! Wait a minute. Wait a minute here, everyone!" Kai stepped forward. "Those photos, I think I know what you're saying about. But **NO**! Those are not real! Just salt and sugar poured onto the table. That's all!" Despite having a confused face, she professed firmly with her loud and clear voice.

"We just stacking up these empty wine bottles and beer cans right next to you." Cadenza turned to Erika who was just about to turn pale white. "And just take a picture of it, that's it!"

"If you want a sure fire way. Just check her skin, her arms and her ass. They're pretty much intact, no mark of needle or whatsoever. Ok, leave out the whatsoever part 'cause I haven't strip her off naked or anything."

"..."

"..."

It was certainly something. The dreadful feel of thinking their new Sensha-do Commander was involved into such a scandal was...vanished away by these two's defending.

_This is giving me a headache…why I can't remember anything?! Was it really the rum? How much did it do on my brain cells. Or is it Karen? Did she really...no...she didn't!...did she?_

"It's a prank, really. We just wanted to tease you again the next time you show up."

Even though so much things just poured into her mind, Erika could simply tell that the two were telling the true. They're confused and afraid just like her.

"..."

"..."

It was a brief silence, yet it was so intense. Erika's mind continued on its overdrive gear, as her heart was beating rapidly.

"Ok…putting the photos aside. You said that she ' _just showed up_ '. How exactly?" Shiho continued her questioning.

_Where is she going with this?_

Erika was confused but she answered it.

"...it happened when her tank, the Jagdtiger broke its track. I was nearby, over that tree…"

As Erika was just about to point her finger to the far distant tree where they had met, she then realized something. The path wasn't quite suitable for heavy tanks to make a pass, there were a few muddy spots and sand. That portion of ground was often used as a maneuvering exercise for medium tanks. Heavy tanks like Tiger I, Elefant, or Jagdtiger could do it too but they would put a lot of stress on the tracks, and it did make them break...

The point was, there was no reason for that Jagdtiger to run all the way to there if it was simply making a test run, unless the Commander wanted it to be there for...her.

_Don't tell me…no. It can't be! She wouldn't!_

Erika's pale and troubled face somehow was enough for Shiho to piece them together.

"Foolish child. That snake-tongued girl had it all planned out. She has used you to get…"

" **STOP!** " The booming voice quickly ceased Headmistress from making such a statement.

The Nishizumis and Erika turned back to the dark-haired Italian and the red-haired sailor with a black bandanna. It wasn't them. The attention soon turned to a new approaching group nearby. Mauko-senpai, Ritaiko, Geshiko, Koume, Sangou and others who were...the patrons at that bar.

"Look! It's true that Karen have approached to Erika. But with the intention to _befriend_ with, and she did the same to us as well! She did not. Karen is not..."

Mauko-senpai showed a difficult face, she was trying to defend Karen, but what she did and what's on going now...she couldn't...

"...You girls are all involved as well?" Maho asked.

A few silent nods were made to confirm Maho's suspicious.

"Unbelievable..." Shiho's face were getting darker.

"The point is that…we do not know anything about…this rebellion at all!"

"...Even so..." A long, heavy sigh escaped from Shiho. She was keeping her temper in check, "Until we…after we deal with this…mess. You girls are to be…detained."

"!?" "NO!"

Fear and horrified expression appeared among the involved party and the spectators.

Without further ado, the black enforcers quickly approached to Erika and the girls who involved.

"Now hold on, wait just a minute—hey! Hey! Easy. Easy!" Kai could feel her arm was almost be twisted.

"Watch your hand, puta! (bitch!)" The driver continued to struggle as she spoke Italian rapidly like a machine gun, in some way they could tell she was cursing.

A few resisted, a few didn't as they were stunned, to the point of fainting. They did not know what was actually happening at all. Karen was just a friend, a friendly senpai who invited them to that little haven to escape from those stupid rules and these enforcers. It granted them a sense of refresh and freedom in Kuromorimine.

And what Karen did now...when and how did this happen? Why she planned bringing down the Kuromorimine? Did she hate the Nishizumis?

A torrent of thoughts erupted from Erika's mind. Had she been tricked? Had she been betrayed? Was she at fault for some reason? The questions were too many, overwhelming her mind and heart. She simply stood when she was, lifeless, like a doll. Each of her arms was soon grabbed by an enforcer and put her on the move.

"Erika-chan!" Leila cried out.

"Take those two as well." One of the Disciplinary girls said.

"Pl-please wait! We are not involved in this…" Sheska's words didn't stop the black uniformed girls from taking them into custody.

Even though the girls did not put up any resistance but they were kicked in the legs, forcefully had their knees down on the ground.

"Sheska-chan!"

"It-it's alright, Leila-senpai. I'm ok…"

_No…this can't be happening…_

_Again…_

They were coming back to Erika. A feel of dread, being useless...

Guilt...

It was cold…it was shivering to the bone.

She could not think.

She could not speak.

She could not breathe.

She simply stared absently…toward the person who she respected and admired so much...seeing her face was…

"I'm sorry..." Maho's words were more or less than a whisper.

It's hurt…

_No…please…_

_Not like this…_

_Again._

Then the cold stern face with a pair of eyes like dagger appeared before her. They're staring down at her, like an abyss.

"Erika Itsumi. You have disappointed me."

…

The event had developed into something that no one could have foreseen. First, Karen decided to make a certain rebellion right here, in Kuromorimine, the most prestigious school of all in Sensha-do, then the arres…detain of the people who involved with her, along with their Vice-Commander and her crew.

It was too harrowing and distressed, and yet, they clearly didn't know what was happening. Was Karen a traitor…or something more than that, she wanted to…suicide? To kill herself along with Kuromorimine?

Questions came with more questions among the girls and mechanics.

And the people who involved with her...were 'arrested' by Morals Disciplinary Committee.

The whole atmosphere was uneasy and heavy to everyone when the enforcers had decided to gather everyone, including the mechanics, inside the tank shed from preventing the word spreading of this news to other regular students.

"Unbelievable…" Shiho shook her head weakly. Never before she would think her school could went spiral out of control like this. And it was conducted by her very students no less.

"I still do not understand her plan." Maho said, only to have her mother growled.

"Bringing shame and chaos to Kuromorimine, isn't that what her goal is?"

"Maybe it's true. The chaos works, but what is exactly her true _goal_? If Karen intended on bringing the shame to Kuromorimine, she would have done it long before _this_. Yet, she brings the fight to us and even gave us and the chance to stop her."

"..."

"And what was the reason for her to approach Erika and invited her to that place? Why bluffing with the….drug and all?"

"...To have us to detain Ms. Itsumi from commanding a tank group to stop her..."

A suggested theory coming from her mother was truly surprised Maho.

"Was that really..."

"No. No. This is ridiculous!" Shiho hissed.

Erika as Karen's new commander so she must be taken out...it's one thing Shiho'd accepted. But about her daughter, Maho? To what she had learned from her daughter, Maho was left alone for the entire time, barely making contact with Karen at all. And yet, other tank commanders were already involved with Karen in the same manner liked Erika.

Was it to force her hand to reduce the fighting numbers? Was it to create a certain riff between her and her students? Too many theories to go with...

Shiho Nishizumi knew what the feel of being outwitted on the battle. It's one thing to outwitted by someone with a brilliant mind, but being put into some grand scheme made by some brat?...No! She refused to believe it!

"..."

"…In any case, that girl must be stopped." Shiho looked toward to the distance where she could see small moving dots.

"Three hours." Maho said, looking at her phone’s screen. "That's what she said. If no none could disable her tank group within that time limit, she would upload those images onto the Internet."

"It will be a massive blow on Kuromorimine and the name of Nishizumi. We will be reduced to nothing but a joke to the whole nation." Shiho turned to her daughter.

"Maho. You know what must be done."

"M-Madam Nishizumi." The voice came from a female mechanic (who was reluctantly chosen by the others to step forward). "The girls have just finished with their training in these Panthers so it would take time to rearm and refuel them for at least 45 minutes."

"Make it double-time then-"

"A-Also! Most of their engines were overheated...It would take a while for that too..."

Hearing such an excuse, Shiho simply clicked her tongue, frowning heavily. She on the verge of being snapped.

"She even planned the timing as well," Maho said. "Buying them some time to set up the defense."

"Are there any other tanks available?"

Before the mechanic could have answer…

"Please do not trouble yourself with this! Headmistress, Commander Nishizumi."

Emerging herself among the enforcers was a young woman wearing a red-colored frame under rim rectangular glasses.

"Such a fiasco had happened was because it's on our negligence. Please allow us to deal this on our own hands." She bowed down sharply, a few members behind her did as well.

"Can you do it?" asked Shiho.

"On the honor of Kuromorimine, I, Mamori Abe, as the Head of Morals Disciplinary Committee will put a stop to this shamble."

By her words, sounds of powerful roaring engines were heard. Everyone soon saw two Tiger IIs and eight Panthers, all painted in dark blue color, emerging by the entrance.

All tanks were manned by Moral Disciplinary Committee members, and Mamori Abe soon mounted up on her Tiger II.

"Disciplinary Corps! Move out!"

~0~

The school ended this morning so the girls decided to spend their free time at the plaza where a cafe shop was. Aside having classic-looking tables and chairs, there was also a Schwerer Gustav replica with a giant LED screen like the stadium's one just so the girls can watch a Sensha-do practice match. The atmosphere of having ladies drinking their coffee or tea elegantly could have been much better without this gloomy clouds above them. However, the weather wasn't the thing that the girls were paying their attentions to.

"Those engine noises. They are coming from the tank sheds."

"It's about to rain and they decided to practice as well? How diligent."

"But didn't their practice just ended?"

"Did you see a whole group of Feldgendarmerie just run pass over us? It's like a whole battalion out there!"

"Yes, I saw them. They're all climbed onto the trucks and moved toward the Sensha-do Training Grounds."

"Some sort of special training or something?"

Even though today was a normal day like any other days at school, the students were sensing something was odd and...bad.

So was _she_ , she had a nose for this kind of situation like this. After all, she was in charge as a communication officer over the radio and make quick judgments with limited verbal Intel. Her way of gathering information was, however, a bit _underhanded_ which lead her getting a...long and bitter 'debriefing' with her captain, Kay.

After the 63rd Tournament, thanks to _someone_ from Ooarai who self-claimed as Sergeant Oddball, Third Class. Despite its nature of reckless, it really got her…inspired about the method of scouting.

Picking up the Kuromorimine as an 'experimental' place to do it, maybe it's a really, really, really bad idea. However, at least here, her notorious was lower comparing to the rest.

As soon as she arrived here, she noticed something odd was happening. Starting with the gloomy weather here, then she happened to saw a large group of girls wearing black uniform and some sort of a large silver tag over their chest climbing on the waiting trucks in a quick and trained manner. She also overheard some vague words among them: “They're at the tank sheds. We have to stop them now!”

"I wonder what is going on?" asked Alisa, a Sensha-do member affiliated Saunders, wearing a Kuromorimine school uniform at the moment as a disguise.

And she wasn't alone on this field trip. Standing next to the pony twin-tailed was a young girl wearing a Stahlhelm with two strands of hair coming down from the front of her helmet, something to 'blend in' with the school's theme here.

~0~

Looking over their flanks with the binoculars, Karen, the Panther commander noticed the moving mass coming up behind.

"Hmm…they're responded pretty fast. Was Erika really…" The auburn-haired paused as she noticed those Panzers was painted in a different color along with a certain face on top of leading Tiger II. "Oh?"

"Ele-chan!" Karen waved toward to Elena, the commander of Jagdpanther who showed herself above the hatch.

« Don't call me that! » Elena spoke through her mic. « You know that we Germans don't tolerate such affection naming. »

"Guess who decided to make her own grand entrance."

Hearing it, the Jagdpanzer’s hatch was opened, revealing Elena who used her binoculars to look back at the pursuing Panzer group. It didn't long for her to notice that recognizable face as well.

"…It sure would be fun to have that girl hand around." An evil grin was formed across Elena's face.

« But it's too soon. The Saboteur team didn't reach to the media room yet. » said a Jagdpanzer IV in the group.

« Then let's pull out that one. » said Karen.

« Really? »

« Hoho. This is getting good! »

« Hihi, I already feel bad for them. »

"Can you make the call?" Karen asked Hawisa, her radio operator.

"Already done." Hawisa replied as her smartphone's screen just turned off. "They said they are on the way."

« Let's have our helpers deploy SkyEyes first, record this whole…warming up match."

« Hehe, I can't wait to eat my popcorn while seeing that kind of face again. » Elena said.

« Yeah. In a nice cozy prison cell. » said one of Panzer IIIs.

The rebel tank group laughed out loud at the same time on their channel.

“I like you girls so much.” Karen muttered before she contacted them.

…

…

« All tanks. Head to D-section training site. This weather is a blessing for us. »

“Even though what we are about to do isn't actually Sensha-do.” Elena sighed. “But _hell_! Why a spoil spot with all those rules? We Germans have a sense of humor too.”

This time the laughter was louder along with cheers.

« Indeed. »

Elena looked back to the leader of this Kuromorimine rebellion. She noticed how the auburn-haired began to tie up her hair.

"Oh ho! She is serious about it." Elena said out loud, capturing her crew's attention.

"What's going on, Elena?" asked the gunner.

"Our brave leader has tied up her hair." The blonde explained. "Having that…I'm going to change my clothes too."

…

…

The air was cold as the wind was getting stronger, Karen felt something just hit her face, then another, and another. They were drops of rain.

"Aahh…raining. Couldn't have ask more for a perfect Sensha-do battle." Karen extended out her two arms, welcoming the drops onto her face.

And she smiled, it was one kind of a scary smile that one rarely would see. Perhaps this would be the only time she could express like this, after all, they already passed the point of no return.

The rebel Panther commander pressed the two buttons of throat mic.

"This is **Rogue 1** to all tanks. Begin Operation Valkyrie."

The thunders from heaven began to strike down on the earth and the sea.

 


	7. The Rogues, the Rebels and the Rascal

Beneath the lower decks of the mighty Kuromorimine School Carrier, in a secluded corner at the end of a certain hall. There placed a neon sign of a nice-tailed cat, however, it didn't bear any sign of energy light since it was turned off.

Behind the entrance door of Garden of Eden, the soft music, the laughter, the clanging of metal mugs and glasses were not there like when Erika first visited.

The whole room was inactive, saved for a group of Kuromorimine third-year students who were the members of Sensha-do team.

On the low glass table where they gathered around was a running laptop with a text box appeared on its screen was: [Email sent successful.]

"So we are really doing this huh?" asked one of them, looking toward the long auburn-haired with silver eyes, the one who they would called as Boss.

"Uh-huh! Strike while the iron is hot." Karen said. "Thanks to Erika-chan. Now it's the perfect time to strike."

"Are you sure this is gonna work?"

"Nope! No plan survives contact with the enemy."

"Right. Quoted from Erwin Rommel himself."

"Actually, it's coming from Helmuth von Moltke, the Elder." Karen corrected.

"Really though..." sighed Elena, the blond-haired girl. "Is this going to work?"

"...Nope! We are all gonna get executed." The casual tone from the one about pessimistic brought a bit chuckle among the group. One might said Karen should be a comedian, not some mastermind.

"The _true_ ending of that movie hah…" Hawisa smiled.

"Well! Since this is our last year so. Let's go out there and gun blazing for all we care."

"Speaking like a true cowboy." said Elena.

"Lotte. You've got the thing?"

The little one showed a USB flash drive.

"Ready to deploy at any time you wanted to, Boss."

~0~

**_– Present Day –_ **

On the opened training grounds which was filled with many puddles of water created by thick drops of rain. While the birds and little creatures were sheltering in their own nest, a wedge formation consisted of 8 Panthers and 2 Königstigers moving with might and main. They're the finest display of showing superior armor and fearsome firepower. With these number alone, no school would dare to challenge them head on. Yet behind those armors, one was bearing an uneasy feeling.

Mamori Abe was her name, not only she was a third-year student at Kuromorimine, she was also the Head of Morals Disciplinary Committee. The stern, cold expression of her behind the red-framed glasses really intimidated everyone with a sharp aura as a rule enforcer, a blue blood. Even though Mamori Abe was a minor degree comparing to Headmistress Nishizumi, she showed no mercy to those who broke the rules.

She always preferred her last name to be called: Abe. So everyone did, except for a few, particularly a certain auburn-haired with silver eyes who _dared_ to call out her first name with '-chan' behind it.

_I knew that they always have a crazy scheme in mind to mess with us… But this is has to be the **worst and craziest** I have ever faced!_

_Taking pictures of themselves doing those stuffs and dared to show them right in front of Headmistress? Using 'themselves' as doom devices to bring Kuromorimine down? Who in the right mind would do that?!_

Bullying, smoking or breaking the curfew. Sure, she could handle them, _flawlessly_ if they dared to resist, but what Karen did back there and other things she did (which were not mentioned in the rule book but practically breached the moral) in the past...They _really_ pushed her to the limit.

Abe remembered that one time when Karen had caused an uproar when she and some sailors trying to scale over the school building by using the rappelling rope. Never before she had dealt with such a wild student, an irregular.

_Karen wasn't this bad at all when I met her for the first time. So how come she changed so much?_

To Abe's first impression, Karen Nakahashi was just a student among students, followed properly to the written rules of Kuromorimine…till she broke them.

_Rules are what upholding us to become what society demands. Even in Sensha-do, Nishizumi Style demanded it!_

_Rules created for the sake of freedom. Which is I do not understand who couldn't follow it._

The people who didn't follow the rules gave her a great deal of anxiety. It robbed away her calmness, and yet along with it, a sense of jealousy...

_'Mamo-chan. We are just girls, just students, you know? Being an adult is what we will deal later. Right now, we just do what we like, and love.'_

That's what Karen always said every time when Abe confronted her as she somehow managed got away unpunished when the case was 'technically' not breaching any rule, still…it's questionable. Nevertheless, Karen always slid away like a snake, with that little black notebook on her.

It was unbelievable for Abe to think that they actually were...friend together back in their second year. It was brief, Abe remembered how quiet she was...and now...

_Was it my fault? Was I in the wrong somehow?_

_'You're always too hard on yourself, Mamo-chan. No need to fill those expectations from those adults, they just want our best behaviour **for** the sake of themselves, **not** for us.'_

_No..._

_No._

_No. No. No!_

_They have insulted the Headmistress! They insulted their own commanding officer. And above all, they have **defiled** Kuromorimine!_

_What I am doing is for the sake of Kuromorimine, for every student here. I shall stop them. No. I **will** stop them!_

**_For Kuromorimine!_ **

~0~

Although under the custody of Morals Disciplinary Committee, the people who involved with Karen were at least not to be bound by handcuffs, which would be too drastic since they weren't criminals or sort, and they'd been given the freedom of moving their legs around inside an inactive maintenance shed where no combat-readied tank was available or a vehicle with a full fuel gauge for them to make an attempt to escape.

"So you really didn't involve with this grand scheme at all?" asked Mauko.

"This is the answer I have to repeat so many times hah?" Cadenza let out a long sigh, showed no sign of nervous as she was surrounded by many faces, demanding some good answer.

"Well, you were the closet one to Karen." said Mauko's gunner.

"You forgot the path that I were just there as an _additional_ member to her team. Also, Yumiko and I always bark at each other."

"Mauko-senpai is in the same year like Karen-senpai and you didn't get an invitation from her to join this little rebellion?" Kai asked.

"Hey-Hey! Don't go turn the pointing fingers at me. I'm in the same shoes as you."

"Then there you have it. No need for further questioning." Kai assured the group, dismissing the frustration and suspicion on Cadenza.

"(Godamnit, Karen! What the hell are you thinking?!)" Cadenza hissed, but soon turned to Kai with a calmed face.

"Grazie, amico. (Thank you, friend.)"

"No problemo."

The gathered students soon shifted to the main topic about Karen and her group.

"It's a good thing they didn't take the Maus."

"Well, that would bring up too many questions." said the original Maus commander.

"...Did Karen-senpai really hate Kuromorimine?" asked a second-year member.

"I don't think so. The Nishizumi on the other hand though..."

"So she hate the Nishizumi family?"

"Double suicide...is she really...? Or it's just figuratively?"

"I don't know..."

Multiple conversations arouse but none came to a clear conclusion.

"Godamnit, Karen! What the hell are you thinking?!" Mauko hissed.

"That's what I just said." Candeza muttered.

"It might be a bit late..." said a member. "But does anyone want to tell Erika-san about what had happened at that night?"

"Too late for that..."

"Uhm...may I asked what are you senpais talking about?" Sheska asked, confused by the conversation.

"..." Most of them looked at each other, showing a bit hesitated whether to tell it or not.

Isolated afar from the gathered group, Leila leaned heavily on the empty hull of a Panther with no turret as she let out a resigned sigh.

"Rou-san." A soft voice called out, having her to look up to the person with a reddish brown hair.

"Akaboshi-san…"

"H-how is Erika-san?"

The twin-tailed shook her head weakly, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.

Koume quickly kneeled next to Leila, comforting her with a pat on the back. The twin-tailed soon placed her head over Koume's chest and shed her tears silently.

Sitting nearby, behind the Panther's hull, the light blond-haired stared absently at the ceiling with her dull blue eyes, like a doll.

"…"

~0~

« Eight Panthers and two Königstiger. It's a full line up of triple-A tanks. » reported one of Karen's scouts via radio. « Those Disciplinary girls are not mucking around. »

"That's good then. Just according to keikaku (plan)." Hawisa said, forming a sinister grin.

Standing on top of Panther's engine deck to check up the moving panzer group one more time, the ponytailed auburn-haired wearing a raincoat put down the binoculars.

"Let's see how bad our _own Style_ can mess up the Nishizumi Style." Karen soon put her head through the turret's loader rear hatch.

"Yumiko. Time to move." She called to the gunner.

"No way! It's raining outside!" The gunner protested. "And really I want to do the shooting..."

"Come on, girl. We talked about this."

"Ughh…fine!" Yumiko obediently budged herself from the seat, moving herself toward the opened hatch. "This is so low for a lady like me..."

"Being a lady such as yourself, I wonder why you didn't go to St. Gloriana." Hawisa said.

"I told you guys, didn't I?" Just before Yumiko went outside, she reminded them again. "I hate the taste of tea."

The crew members looked at each other.

"…"

"…"

"…wait? That's it? That's the reason?!"

"Hmm? What did I miss?" asked the ponytailed who had gave the raincoat to Yumiko and just about to move toward the vacant gunner's seat.

The reason was never got to confirm again when the person in question was already removed herself out of the Panther and run to her left where allied Panzer IIIs were located while enduring the heavy drops.

...

...

Advancing steadily, Mamori Abe noticed the rain was dropping more rapidly as thunders roared out like cannon fire and the darkness shrouded around her.

"The visibility is getting low. Pay attention to your surroundings." The Disciplinary leader called out.

The raining was bad (especially what it was doing to her glasses) so Abe decided to get inside, but before she could do that. There was a bright flash of massive lightning bolt strike directly into the sea not too far from the ship, and during the flash of it, Abe saw it, a muzzle flash, it was quick like a flick of a match. Then…a whistling noise was heard in the rain.

"INCOMING! !" Abe cried out.

At once, the thunder strike and the shell explosion roared powerfully as they made everyone heart jumped.

« Co-Contact! » « Where?! »

The confusion was promptly shifted to a focus once another projectile had landed right in between two moving blue-colored Panthers.

« Muzzle flashes. Over that hill! »

Abe quickly scanned over with her binoculars through cupola's vision blocks, noticing two small well-placed silhouettes took up the upper hill.

« That shot was at least two thousand meters away! »

« I spot two tanks! A Panther and a Jagdpanzer! »

Another muzzle flash emitted, then a projectile made a hit as it was instantly bounced off away by Tiger II's sloped frontal armor.

« Taking fire! » cried out the second Tiger II beside Abe's.

One of the moving Panthers decided to halt and began to level its 75mm gun at the targets.

"Take your time in aiming!" The tank commander said to her gunner. "It would take at least seven to nine seconds for those tanks to load a next shell…"

However, before the gunner could align the optics sight, a high-pitched whistling noise came.

A shell landed right on top of the stop-moving Panther's hull where its armor section was thin, rendering the referee machine to kick in and popped up the white flag.

« Tank 7 is im-immobilized! W-we are sorry! » The tank commander panicky reported.

Just in the first minute of battle and the Disciplinary Corps already suffered a first tank lost, unbelievable! Abe was angry, but she couldn't let her emotion to dull her judgment. She was the leader, she needed to lead her tanks.

"Keep advancing! That was merely a flute! Advance!"

The Disciplinary Corps put their engine roared out loudly amidst the rain and thunders. From what the Nishizumi Style had taught, the formation remained as might and main as it was. All nine panzers focused their main armament toward the two enemy tanks and fired.

All projectiles were near-missed to the small-looking stationary targets but what they did to the ground was utterly a mess as many craters have been made.

Although the Jagdpanzer was hard to hit due to its low profile but the Panther next to it was what the Disciplinary Corps rather considered a dangerous threat because of its rate of fire.

« S-so fast! The break between those shots is only 4 seconds away. »

They noticed the rebel Panther's firing was way too fast, almost like shooting an auto-cannon.

« Are they using auto-loading system? »

« No! That would take much longer than manually loading. »

« Who is the loader in that Panther? »

"Shiko." An answer was made by Abe.

While the loader had impressed to Abe's tank group, but Abe was more concerned about the gunner. She was aware that Yumiko's marksmanship was never this effective or even accurate at this range.

Soon, a certain person appeared in her mind…

_Karen!_

...

...

At the distance of 1700 meters away, Karen's silver eye calmly looked through the optics, aligning little triangles onto a new target and the trigger was soon pulled.

The Panther crew could feel the whole motion of being moved a few inches by the 7.5cm KwK 42's recoil.

As soon as the casing shell was dumped away from the breach, a new shell was immediately put right in after.

"Loaded." The muscular loader said.

"…away." She pulled the trigger once more.

The projectile launched from the sand-colored Panther made a direct hit on a blue-colored Panther's left track.

« This is Tank 5. They have got our track! »

"ADVANCE!" The Disciplinary Corps leader cried out.

"No matter what befall us. We advance!" Mamori Abe remembered such words of Nishizumi Style was as clear as day, raising up the girls' morale.

As the Disciplinary Corps was shortening the distance between them and two firing rebel panzers, they soon faced the whole force of Karen's group.

« Three Panzer IIIs are on my left, ten o'clock! » radioed one of Panthers. « Distance one thousand and three hundred meters! »

« On my one o'clock as well. It's Jagdpanther, Panzer III and another Jagdpanzer! » reported the second Tiger II.

"Disciplinary Corps. Halt!" Abe gave the command.

As soon as the blue-colored panzer corps halted their movement, the rogue sand-colored panzers opened fire.

All shots hit on targets but the shells was rather weak as they were bounced off left and right.

« Haha! Are they retarded or something? You think those 5 cm guns can penetrate my armor?! »

The Panther's turret rotated and fired its 75 mm calibre gun at one Panzer III among the three. It was one shot, one kill.

« Gah! This is Rogue 7, we are immobilized! Sorry, Karen. »

« Rogue 6 is taking hit, but we are still operational. »

"Copy that. Fall back. Retreat steadily for Rogue 7 to get away."

The two remaining Panzer IIIs slowly reversed back while returning fire, providing cover for Rogue 7's crew to bail out safely.

Karen's left flank was also in the same situation as they were under fired by a Tiger II and Panthers.

…

…

The rogue Jagdpanther, Jagdpanzer and Panzer III fired their volley.

Shells made a hit but none could penetrate through those thick armors. Seeing another shell of her only managed to scrape off the Tiger II's blue paint, Elena simply sighed out of frustrated.

"The armor is sure something. Now I'm starting to understand that dreadful feel of every allied tankers facing those beasts."

A shell fired from Tiger II's 88mm gun was intended to hit the Jagdpanther, however, the shell's trajectory was a bit high so it flew pass right over the edge of Jagdpanther's sloped hull and made a direct hit on a Panzer III of Elena's group. It was powerful enough to tip the Panzer III just over to the side momentary before it balanced back down, promptly erected a little white flag.

« Ouch…Rogue 8 is out of commission. Abandoning tank now. »

"C-copy. We'll cover you." said Elena.

Having another rebel tank was destroyed, the morale of Disciplinary Corps raised high as they fired at will, attacking aggressively at Karen's tank group.

Thin tree branches and woods were mercilessly cut down by projectiles while dug and mud were blown up violently, slashing up and stained the panzer's body all over.

« So this is what they said: 'don't bring the knife to a tank fight'. » said the Jagdpanzer.

« That proverb doesn't make any sense. » commented the second Jagdpanzer.

"T-They are getting closer…" Taiga said.

"Alright. Time to use that ninja skill." Karen said as her fingers reached to her throat mic.

...

...

« Incoming! » One of blue panzers warned the others when the rebel Panther had just fired its shell.

The Displinary girls braced themselves for the impact but instead of a loud annoying bang like a hammer strike on a anvil, it was rather…soft.

Abe checked up the situation through the cupola, only to find a certain white color was surrounding on all sides.

"Smoke?"

« They’ve fired smoke rounds at us! »

"Smoke rounds?! But those shells are only to be provided by the League for the World Tournament. How the hell did they get their hands on them?"

...

...

Near to main sheds, a mobile command center was set up to help the Nishizumis and others to gain awareness of the situation. Overhearing the recent report of Abe's tank group about the smoke shells, Shiho turned to the mechanics who was just as puzzled as her.

"Well? Can any of you explain that to me?" Shiho asked.

"H-hey! Who's in charge with giving the shells to those panzers?" The question was raised, soon most of mechanics and staffs turned their heads to the duo who was tasked at handling the ammunition.

"Well…we actually didn't do it…" One of them confessed.

"What?"

"I mean! We did it halfway and then…there was this little girl who offered a hand to help us…"

"She was quite cute too." The other added, which didn't help much…

"You... _allowed_ someone whom you vaguely got the idea that she was one of you to do the rest of the work so you can take a rest?" Shiho asked.

"Agh…"

Guilty as charged. They couldn't bring themselves to say that they were baffled out from previous work and then someone asked for a hand which they gladly took it without hesitation.

"We are so sorry…"

It was bad enough for them to be deceived about aiding the tanks for the rebelled students, but seeing their own men neglectful on the job and lacked the sense of security was even worse.

"Oh god. If this keeps going south, she is gonna have us commit Seppuku right here."

"Don't you mean…" asked a German mechanic. "Sudoku?"

For a culture blind and only learned a bit about Japan from the Internet, that didn't bring the amusement among the group at all.

" **NEIN! !** "

...

...

« Where are they? I cannot see anything! »

« We're blind out here, Abe-san. » All tank commanders tried to get the picture around them but what they saw through the cupola was the lingering dull white smoke.

Abe closed her eyes for a moment, focusing to what outside as she ignored the sound of rain and her allied tanks' running engines. Soon she heard a certain noise of wood being crushed by something.

"Trying to flank us, aren't you?" Abe muttered. She then gave a command to one of her tanks.

"Tank 8. Fire a HE shell right in the middle of our formation. Now!"

"Copy!" replied the numbered Panther. "Fire in a hole!"

Soon came the powerful blast of explosion, blowing up rain drops and dirt along with that whole puff of smoke away like a gust of wind. The visibility soon regained for the Disciplinary Corps.

With finger on the trigger as all hands braced for incoming attack…the rebel tanks were no longer remained at their firing position. To the girls' surprise, those sand-colored panzers were all backing away.

« They are retreating! »

« They actually retreat?! »

As both flanks made their own retreat, Karen's tank which was the one lone Panther left to what the Disciplinary Corps saw. It steadily reversed back, having its frontal armor still facing them.

« Look at them. Not so cocky now, ain't ya! »

The laughter of mocking to those Karen's tanks was made and a small celebrate of victory soon followed.

...

...

The announcement over the radio brought up the cheer from the Moral Disciplinary Committee. To the spectators, on the other hand, it brought mixed reactions among the girls. Some was happy, some wasn't and some didn't have opinion.

"Six remaining…" Shiho said while Maho was checking up the upper right corner of her phone.

...

...

_Such an insult to Kuromorimine. And yet they dared to challenge Nishizumi Style?_

_Don't think that cocky smirk and that little black notes of yours can get you out of this one, Karen!_

"Spread out. I want both flanks secure." Abe gave the new order to her tank group. "We cannot afford of having a straggler in the area."

« Tank 4, copy. » replied the Panther.

« Ja. We will deal with the Jagdpanther on the right flank. » said the second Tiger II as it slowly pivoted its hull, facing to a right side.

A Tiger II and a Panther made the advance while two Panthers were taking over the other side, leaving the main force consisted of one Tiger II and remaining four Panthers which one of them was under the track fixing.

"What should we do now, Abe-san?" The loader asked.

"We will pursuit." She answered. "That retreating rebel Panther ahead of us must be their flag tank. If we can disable it then our victory is ensure."

"But where is the other Jagdpanzer we just saw…" The gunner muttered.

...

...

"Keep reversing it nice and steady, girl." Karen said casually to the driver while they was under fire by the Disciplinary Corps. "No reason to show our asses so they could kiss it good bye."

"Haah…I should have gone with Reizei-san to Ooarai back in middle school." Taiga muttered to herself, pressing the gas pedal carefully.

The game of tag has begun. And there was plenty of time for the Disciplinary Corps to search and destroy the Rogues.

~0~

Inside the maintenance shed, the enforcers were already distanced themselves from the people in custody as they're paying more attention to the status of their own proud Disciplinary Corps through the walkie-talkie.

Using the chance of being ignored, a few decided to use what they could find in here to learn about the recent development that the enforcers didn't want to share. Luckily for them, there was a Leichter Panzerspähwagen (Fu) 223, a light armored reconnaissance car bearing a frame antenna.

Although there was no battery for the radio equipment inside the car, that did not stop the girls from getting creative with the stuffs they could find in this very workshop.

"Okay, hook this one up to this wire and…here we go!" The device came to life as the girls heard the high pitch sound of running electricity.

"Yes!" Ritaiko was immediately hushed by others in order not to draw attention of those black uniforms.

"So what about the frequency and stuff?" A member asked.

Before any radio operator could volunteer, a twin-tailed girl already stepped in.

"Let me have a look at it."

"Leila-senpai." Sheska said.

Without waiting anyone to raise a voice, Leila already put a headphone over her ears and start to search the active channel frequencies.

~0~

**Sensha-do Training Grounds – D-Sector**

"Damn! Now that I have just realized how much I hate this training sector." The commander of Tank 4 complained.

« The swamp? » asked Panther with a callsign Tank 6, following behind.

"Yeah, _the_ swamp, the raining is even making it worse."

True to her words, the cold air was crawling onto their skin as the fog was formed above the ground while it wasn't actually full of water, well, sort of...

It was an unfavorable sector for many panzers. The tracks and wheels would often got something stuck in between and it's a pain to clean that up.

"I think we should slip up." Tank 4 suggested.

« That's a bad idea. »

"Hey relax, we are driving Panthers here. They're only two Panzer IIIs on this sector, and one of them is limping. The Jagdpanther and Jagdpanzers are on the other side."

Although it's rather overconfident about their Panther's armor, nevertheless, the thunders' noises along with ongoing sounds of 88mm and 75mm caliber tank gun and this whole eerie environment really urged them to deal with this side as quickly as possible and join back their main force.

« Alright…then we will go this way. » Tank 6 soon turned its hull to another direction where the path was accessible.

...

...

Shell after shell, they couldn't landed on the designated moving target.

They fired. She fired back as well. If they halted, then a shell would ensure to hit them first. Although no more tank was knocked out by Karen's marksmanship, but her shells kept banging on their armor really gave them a headache.

"Stop running and fight like a man...I mean, woman!" The Tiger II's gunner said, firing another shell which missed again terribly.

Looking through the vision block, Abe noticed something was strange about that rogue Panther.

_How come that Panther is reversing faster than it should?_

Her deduction was on mark, sadly what Abe couldn't see was that Karen's Panther was getting a help of pulling thanks to the low-profile Jagdpanzer was driving ahead of it with an attached cable.

Also, Mamori Abe was unaware that above her, there was a flying quadcopter drone equipped a camera device. And it wasn't the only drone flying in this raining.

...

...

In the pursuit of a rogue Jagdpanther and Jagdpanzer, the Tiger II and Panther came to a momentary stop at one point in the woods.

« Damn these tree branches and vines! Those assault guns were low enough to pass through. »

The size of Tiger II often posed a trouble when it came to maneuvering inside the forest. The tank would had its 88mm turned at the rear, just so to have the front hull can crush through without damaging the gun, but in the process of doing it, it would make them vulnerable if there was an assault gun waiting ahead.

« I think we can get ourselves in. » said Tank 3.

« You do that then. We will go around it. » The second Tiger II said.

« Copy. See you on the other side. »

The two-tank team slit into one and one, and then went on their own separate way.

...

...

"No wonder it was called 'the swamp', it makes me feel like I was actually in it..."

Tank 6's commander mumbled as her panzer proceeded steadily through the wet land. If she they got stuck in a place like this would be too much to bear, then again, having no enemy was in sight was slowly getting on her nerves.

When she was scanning the rear through the cupola, her panzer suddenly stopped.

"W-Why are you stopping?"

"I-I'm sorry! Bamboo trees are in front of us."

"Bamboo trees?" The Panther commander soon opened up her hatch and she looked over, confirming there were obstacles in their path.

"Where do they even come from...?" She then noticed something was odd about them. They're bamboo tubes alright but having sharpen-point end of them pointing toward her tank like a barricade was too unnatural…like someone had crafted and placed them here…

Without a warning, there was a thud, it's faint, like something just stepped on top of her tank. She turned her head around, only to have her heart stopped when a pair of dark hands reaching down to her face.

...

...

"Shit…it's getting foggy here." Tank 4's commander was at her mental limit of staying in this place. "Tank 6. You have anything on your side?"

« …* _sstttsss_ *… »

"Tank 6?"

"Enemy Panzer! Eleven o'clock!" The driver called out, halting their tank.

The commander noticed a familiar shape of a Panzer III sitting in one spot with its rear facing the Panther.

"This is Tank 4. We have a Panzer III in our sight! Firing!"

The Panther fired its gun. As soon as the shell was a confirmed hit, a white flag popped up on Panzer III's turret.

...

...

« We got it! Another rogue tank is disabled! »

The new update brought a few uncontrollable cheers from the black enforcers. However, the Nishizumis remained calm and collected.

"Five to go…" said Shiho.

...

...

Stopping behind the smoky Panzer III, the blue Panther still had its main and secondary armament pointing at it.

"Make sure you subdue them properly." said the tank commander. "They might resist with their Stun gun."

A radio operator and a loader soon dismounted with an airsoft gun bearing a genuine shaped of MP40 held in their hands.

"Try to avoid shooting at their faces."

"I can't promise that." said one of them with a smirk.

"Me neither." The other also second that.

"…Indeed…accidents _do_ happen." The commander formed a mischievous grin on her face.

Keep this as a secret, but most of the Disciplinary girls were really looking forward to _this_. For too long, they were harassed by Karen and her infamous group, and also third-year students who joined in to mess with them as well. If _this_ wasn't the best chance for this sweet revenge then when?

The two sub-machine gunners approached in somewhat tactical manner, shortening the distance between them and the disabled rogue Panzer III.

As they were getting closer and closer, they both looked at each other, sensing something was odd.

It was too quiet, almost like nobody was inside the tank.

"…cover me."

One of them climbed onto the Panzer.

"…"

Holding the submachine gun in one hand, the girl opened up the turret's side hatch as fast she could.

"…!"

It's empty.

No one was in sight.

The girl let out a small relief sigh.

With one another quick look, the tank was already emptied from the beginning.

_They must find that there's no hope of winning this so they ran away. Cowards._

Smiling, the enforcer turned her head to her companion and the waiting Panther.

"There's no one here!"

...was what she wanted to say and then they would go on their own merry way.

In reality...

"There's no one he—"

The cut off mid-sentence like that was really bounded to go wrong, and there's something had happened to that poor Disciplinary girl.

The Panzer III was a trap, an explosive one. However, it did not explode in a fashion like in some action movie scene. There was a planted bomb, yes, however, the bomb itself was made out of…flour, an ingredient used for baking. If you happened not to be careful like sneezing at it, the flour would go off like a dust cloud. In this case, it did, thanks to a certain minimum chemical reaction with a timer.

"Now!"

Immediately, the very crew members of the entrapped Panzer III charged out from the bushes and tackled down the girl holding the airsoft gun as well as the knocked-out girl by the tank.

The Panther commander was stunned, before she could give an order to reverse their tank out of that trap. She overheard something was whistling in the air and then a sound of snapping like a rope just right above her.

"Gah?!" Her heart jumped when something just landed right on top of her tank's turret.

Recomposing herself, it was just a type of basket with a lid.

"Wha…"

Again, before she could have process this more properly, something was wriggling inside the basket.

When she saw it…boy oh boy, would that girl ever want to do the Sensha-do again?

...

...

« KKKYYY— **GGGGGGYYYYAAHHHHHH! ! ! !** »

A horrified shriek had penetrated to almost every radio operator's ear drum.

Despite they stood afar from the source, the Nishizumis and everyone else also felt such sound wave. The perplexing and confusion began to baffle among the crowd.

...

...

"Tank 4 report! What is going on over there?!" Abe cried out, ignoring her radio operator's ear status.

« **SNAKES!** **!** THERE-ARE-SNAKES-INSIDETHETANK! THEREARE SNAKESINSIDE-THETANK! ! » The voice was delirious, to the point it brought a few statics along.

"Snakes? What do you mean there're snakes!? There are no snakes around these parts! Tank 4 respond properly one more time!"

« …*silence*… »

"Tank 4!"

Despite Abe was demanding for an answer, the Tank 4 commander was no longer available as she already bolted out of the Panther along with the rest of the crew who feared for their life because of legless reptiles were crawling all over inside…even though they weren't real living ones. The snakes were all plastic toys stuffed with a…vibrator inside to make them like they're moving.

Having that, the whole Panther tank crew was all subdued by rogue Kuromorimine students.

"Alright! That's a good shot, Yumiko-san." A Panzer III member congratulated to the young girl with a bob cut, holding a short bow in her hands.

"I really want to make a tank shot though…" complained Karen's gunner. "Having me to do this. So inelegant…"

"This is Rogue 5." The Panzer III's commander contacted via her throat mic. "We successfully captured _another_ Panther. Your right flank is clear now, Boss."

« Good work. » Karen replied.

"Now let's commandeer this Panther. Let's hope our Marauders don't crush through every tree and get stuck in a mud somewhere…"

Saying that, a small group of people revealed themselves behind the bushes.

~0~

"We have lost contact with Tank 4…" The radio operator reported.

"What about tank 6?" Abe asked.

The radio operator simply shook her head.

« Damn! What just happened? An ambush? » One of the Panthers said.

« This is Tank 5. Should we go over there to access the situation? »

"…alright." Abe agreed. "You go over there, try to find out what's going on."

« Affirmative. »

To everyone, Sensha-do was a sport, a way to make a women to grow and mature, to become a perfect waifu. However, in Kuromorimine, it was beyond that. It’s a way of representing the spirit of warrior, fulfilling the duty like a soldier.

Kuromorimine was a certain boot camp to train the girls' mentality, strengthening their discipline. Many have joined JGSDF (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force) thanks to Kuromorimine.

All and all, there was a certain thing about Sensha-do.

The girls simply trained in a tank, stayed inside the tank at all time during Sensha-do match as it's the solely rule, as their tank was a safe haven, a carbonized vessel to protect themselves from harm.

However, what if?

What if someone decided to violate it?

...

...

"We should be able to cut through that bush part. Load a HE shell. Prepare to fire on my command." Tiger II's commander ordered, having the crew to do their function.

She scanned carefully from left to right, having no odd-looking silhouette or gun barrel in some bushes within sight. However, she soon noticed there was something on the tree branch above her. Just when she was about to tell what it was, that thing had made its jump and swooped in right down toward her.

"Kya!"

Both gunner and loader were surprise as they saw the commander’s legs were frantically kicking.

"Get off me!"

"…Commander?"

Unknown to the crew that their commander was in combat with a non-hominoid simian which known as monkey. The furred intelligent creature soon bolted away once it messed up over her smooth hair and stole her kebi cap.

"Hey! Y-You stupid monkey! Give me back my hat—"

_*Thud*_

Then there was that sound, something had just weighted on the back of the tank. The commander turned her head around, and soon found two standing figures with a rope attached to the utility belt around their waist, indicating that they had just tactically fast-roping down right onto her tank from the tree?

"…Oh shit!"

She was quick on her feet as she put herself back into the turret while closing the hatch. Unfortunately, she was not fast enough when a crowbar was slid right in, preventing her from closing the hatch completely.

"KYYAA!"

The sudden event brought the bewilderment out from the crew.

"W-What is going on?!"

There was a certain struggling but in the end, the commander could not close the hatch as she was pulled away from her command seat in a violent manner.

"WAAh—"

Soon afterward, a silence fell upon.

"..."

"Wha..."

The crew was stunned and confused.

A minute earlier, their tank commander was standing there, than a second later, she was gone in a blink of an eye. The last thing they could registered was her lower body had been pulled up in a motion like something just dragged her out of the tank.

"Wh-what happened?!"

Before the crew could think of what had happened to their tank commander, a clanking metallic noise sounded off right away by a certain object was thrown inside from the opened hatch.

An object that made all four girls' heart stopped beating for a second. What they saw was unmistakable iconic stick grenade that was used by Axis force, it even had a nick name for its own shape: A potato masher.

Even if they're dare to view it's only a replica, a fake, but being inside the tank, fighting the opposite force in a combat-like situation, with adrenaline fueling all their five senses. They wouldn't want to wait and find out.

"OUT! Everybody out!"

The girls swiftly reached out to the exit hatch in a trained manner.

A second passed…

Ten seconds passed…

Nothing had happened to their mighty Tiger II as its engine was still running.

However, to the crew, what awaited them outside was a group of people dressed blue uniforms with white skirt.

The Disciplinary girls assumed that they're sailors, but they're not the kind the kind they were often seen in the bridge or below decks. The girls standing before them were delinquents who wore mask, scarf and carried some blunt weapon like baseball bat, crowbar or nunchaku. And they already had the tank commander bound and gagged.

"Like fishing from a barrel!" A girl who had half-starfish hairstyle said cheerfully.

The tank commander was able to shake the gag off her mouth and shouted out in her firm tone.

"You! Don't you know this is violating the Sensha-do rule?!"

"What is this bitchy girl saying?" asked the one with the long and spiky hair like echidna.

"I can't hear it quite well, friend." A scarf-wearing girl put the little finger into her ear. "Something about...Sensha-do rule breaking?"

"Oh wow! Sounds awesome. Let's add that onto our rule-breaking list!"

The delinquent sailors cackled, mocking the lecture from the girl.

"You! Do not think expelling you would be the least of your problem! Abe-san wil—"

"Oh Abe-sama! Oh Abe-sama~" One of them quickly put both hands over her chest, acting like a drama club member on stage.

"Where are you~ Where are you~ Please come and save me from these terrible yet sexy brutes~"

"BUAHAAHAHAHA!" The sailors boomed out their laughter with whistles.

The Tiger II's crew was simply redden their face, feeling humiliated. They were unable to speak out of anything else.

"Ya know. That's a nice looking jacket you have there." A delinquent sailor reached out to the jacket's collar.

"Would be a shame, if someone decided to take it away from you."

"Heh?"

"Huehuehue..."

Every sailor's eyes were glowing, like predators ready to enjoy the feast before them.

"...No...mommy...Hiiee…"

Soon a cry of distress was echoed throughout the damp woods that no hero or heroine would ever show up to save the day...

...

...

"Tank 6. Tank 4." Tank 5's radio operator made many attempts to contact her allied tanks but the radio remained silent. "If anyone can heard me, please respond..."

"Halt!" The commander called out, promptly stopping the tank. "Two o'clock! Five hundred meters."

"...They're Panthers. It's Tank 4 and Tank 6!" said the driver.

"Wait...is it just me or they're trying to point their gun at us?" The gunner found it was odd.

Before the commander could have make a contact to either blue-colored Panthers, one of them opened fire.

...

...

"Tank 2. Tank 3. Report! What is your situation?"

Before Abe could get a status respond from her right flank, a new transmission came in.

« This is Tank 5. Emergency! Emergency! We are under attacked by Tank 4 and Tank 6! »

"WHAT?!"

« This is bad! We have a visual confirming that they are firing on us! They have gone rogu—KYYAA!—*sstssssstt*! »

Cut off transmission along with loud, annoying static really made Abe's mood getting worst and worst.

"Tank 9. Get over there!" She ordered.

« This is Tank 3. We have a Jagdpanzer in our sight. Ready to fire—GAAHHH! »

"Not again…" Abe muttered.

« We are immobilized? »

« No, we are not, the system is still green. But we've fell down into a hole or something. »

_That's just great…_

Abe let out a long exhausted sight.

"Tank 8 and 10...Go and assist our right flank." She ordered the remaining Panthers.

« But Abe-san, doing that you will... »

"Just us alone is good enough to deal with that Panther! GO!"

It didn't take long for the Disciplinary Corps' main force to be reduced to one tank. Even though they're in the powerful tank, that didn't bring the confident to the crew.

"Splitting up like this. It's too risky, Abe-san." The loader said.

"No matter what befall us…no matter what befall us. We advance…no matter what befall us. We advance…"

The words were supposed to raise the group's spirit now being spoke in a mantra-like manner.

"No matter what! We. Advance!"

...

...

The Tank 3's commander opened the turret's rear hatch, slowly getting herself out of the tank but the high angle was rather difficult for her foothold.

"Damn, it's too steep..."

"Here, let me give you a hand with that." said a voice along with a hand extended out to her.

"Oh thank you so much…"

It was too late for her to see the person who gave her a helping hand was rather not a chivalrous type when their eyes were glowing, like seeing a prey finally caught in the trap.

"No problem~ my fair lady."

...

...

In the mobile command center, the radio operators were having troubles as their tried to listen in Karen's channel but only to find these…

« Hiiee! Get your hand off m—KYAAHHH!" »

« This is Tank 3. We are under attack! Gyah, what the? Snakes—OHMYGODOHMYGOD! SNAKESNAKESNAKE! Help me! **HELP ME! !**! »

« ~What would you do with a drunken sailor~ What would you do with a drunken sailor~ »

« ~Put her in bed with the Captain's daughter~ Put her in bed with the Captain's daughter~ »

« Hye! Hye! Is this thing on? One-two-one-two! »

« Boo-ya! Baby. I'm driving the tank here, bitches! »

« Hey, can we listen in the World Cup on this channel? »

« Get out of here girl! We got the game on! »

« What…what is going on? » Abe along with other tank radio operators had no word to describe it.

The chatters on the channel erupted at once, bringing the statics and unclear, mid-end, mid-halfway radio calls. Gibberish, what they were, but everyone could tell one thing: The tables have turned.

There was not a single word coming out from the mother or the elder daughter of Nishizumi. However, they all felt and saw it...

Demon aura.

Pure black and bloody crimson of demon aura was emitting from their back…

If they dared to approach it closer, they will be crushed under that invisible gravity.

« This is Tank 8. Jagdpanther is at our 10 o'clock. Distance, seven hundred meters! »

« Our Tiger II is here as well, good…Wait a minute, Tank 2? Why are you pointing the gun at us…it's not funny! Tank tw—*sskkkkttssss*! »

It might be too much imaginary but the onlookers sworn that the portion of ground which Shiho Nishizumi standing on was sunk down for a few centimeters.

"Unbelievable…" Shiho muttered.

...

...

"Can someone PLEASE! Tell me what the hell is going on?!" Abe at this point. She lost it.

At first the whole situation was under her control, now it went completely out of spiral.

« I can tell you what 'the hell' is going on, Mamo-chan~ » It was the voice which often replaced Abe's collected mind with...something else.

"Karen…"

« We aren't actually the only ones with…guts to attempt this coup. There are also some people here wanted to make a payback to those stupid rules and curfew of yours, Mamo-chan. »

"Who the hell would want to join your—"

« Sailors! » Tank 10 radioed in.

"What?"

« I saw a sailor girl is commanding one of our Tigers! » Tank 10 stated out the fact. « And they are shooting at us! »

...

...

Tracers were often treated like pea shooters in Sensha-do, some used to taunt the enemy tank or to shoot blind if they had a trouble with visibility to find the tank in the dark but never the coaxial gun could have been used with such effectiveness to blind and scare the crew at the same time.

« Gahh! They are firing the tracers all over us! I cannot see! »

« Stop shooting at us like that! » said Tank 8.

By her words, the coaxial guns ceased firing, and following, the main armament of Tiger II soon fired.

...

...

"H-How…where did they come from?" Abe asked out loud.

To Abe's assumption that they were supposed to against eight stolen panzers. They managed to immobilize three of them, having one tank lost. Then they split up their force…split up their force…

_It's a trap…right from the beginning…yet…the way they conducted to turn the girls' tanks to against mine was…_

"…Is this already planned from the beginning? But how come those sailors got here so fast?"

« Come on. It's not that rocket science. We are on the freaking ship vessel here. Of course there're bound to be emergency trap doors on the surface in case of freak storm weather or something, right? And the sailors used them to arrive here. »

"But how in the world did they learn to control the tank…?"

« Thank you for using Karen's panzer joy ride~ See you next time _!_ » Karen spoke the line like a slogan. « Come on. You already forgot about that too? »

...

...

The Jagdpanther's 88mm gun fired, making a direct hit at the Tank 10's frontal hull, rendering a white flag popped on top of its turret like the immobilized Tank 8.

"Thanks Obama." said Elena, looking at the commandeered Tiger II.

« What I did tell you not to sound like thanking to that former US president? Say my last name only! » A husky-sounding voice radioed in.

"But of course…eh…" Elena lowered her head down from the cupola to ask a question to her crew. "What's her last name again?"

…

…

"This is so AWESOME! Kobayakawa-san." said a sailor who wore a kebi cap and a black jacket which she had acquired from someone. "We really should have join Sensha-do!"

"Nah, I prefer the Tankathlon." said a girl who assumed the gunner role. "We can break all kind of shit we want!"

Sitting on the command seat of Tiger II, Obama Kobayakawa was a young woman with a long, black disheveled hair and black eyes yet bearing a strong fighter-looking woman at her age, having her both hands clad in loose worn-out bandages.

"Just to be clear one more time. Did everyone here have prepare the letter requesting the school transfer?"

Two out of four members pulled out the envelope.

"I forgot to write one…"

"My dog ate it."

"Well, even if we got kicked out. We still have 'Johannesburg of Ooarai' as our new haven anyway." Kobayakawa said. "Alright ladies! Time to melt down those two icy iron faces of Nishizumi!"

" **AYE-AYE!** "

"Even though Ogin didn't care much about Sensha-do but I can't wait to tell her about this!"

...

...

« This is…this is impossible! »

"Oh come on, be more realistic here. Every single one of us has experience riding the tanks, way back in elementary school." Karen explained. "After all, isn't Sensha-do is a way to search for one true self?"

« But you...you **cheated**! This is not Sensha-do! You have defiled the spirit of Sensha-do and Kuromorimine! »

"Well, you may be right about that part. But hey, we already flipped the bird to the Iron Lady so…yeah. The rules don't apply much to us now. And besides, this is **_us_** you are dealing with, Mamo-chan. So don't hate the game, hate the players." Karen ended the transmission as her silver eye locked onto a specific target.

"We passed over it." Taiga, the driver said.

"Sorry, Mamo-chan. This will leave a sour taste to you." She pulled the trigger.

...

...

The Panther’s 75mm gun opened fired, sending the shell to land right in front of Tiger II just about 20 meters.

"That was close…" The driver said out of relief but Abe spotted the crater which had just been created that there were wooden pieces scattering all over? On this very plain field?

_...Oh no!_

"Stop the tank!"

The driver immediately did so as the whole crew was pulled toward by the momentum and soon…fell down onward.

"Reverse. Reverse!"

The action had been made but only for a few seconds before Abe felt that her tank was no longer moving and soon slowly slid toward the bottom of the hole.

"NO!" Abe cried out of distress.

It was not some shallow crater that Tiger II had dived into. It was a pit-hole trap which Karen passed over safely thanks to well-placed planks which immediately destroyed once she and the Jagdpanzer got across.

The retreating Panther was no longer retreat as it came a stop, soon the hidden Jagdpanzer revealed itself by pivoting the hull, pointing its 75mm gun toward the trapped Tiger II.

"Level that 88mm up! Load the shell! Prepare to fire on my command…" Just when Abe about to show her defiant spirit, she spotted a number of silhouettes with some sort of long stick were approaching at her flank.

To what she saw, Jagdpanther, Jagdpanzers, Panthers, and even her Tiger II had joined along with the enemy.

"This...this cannot be...The Kuromorimine is...The Kuromorimine is...being destroyed right from within..."

Once again, Karen had bested her in such underhand tactic…

Everything Abe had worked so hard for...

All the things she had sacrificed and done for the virtue of Kuromorimine...

_Why her?_

_Why?_

_So unfair..._

_It's so unfair!_

"KKKAARREEEEENNNNN!" Abe screamed out from the top of her lung by the name with full of hate.

It didn't take long for multiple muzzle flashes to be seen from the cupola before the blackness took over Abe's consciousness.

...

...

« *ssssttttttt*...*ssssttttttt*... »

Loud statics were heard and the silence soon settled in afterward...

The radio operators' faces were as white as sheet, still, they managed to deliver the news to the Nishizumis and others.

"The Disciplinary Corps is...annihilated…"

The Nishizumis frowned heavily while everyone was exclaimed with both shocked and awed.

"No…this cannot be happening…" An enforcer dropped to the ground with her knees like a string-less doll.

But it did, this was really happening. A cold and cruel reality was happening before them…

~0~

"Damn. Another Gestapo patrol."

Sticking her eyes out from a corner in the hallway, Alisa noticed there was a running black uniform stopped before the group with a flustered face.

The distance was too far for Alisa to hear the conversation properly but she could tell it was rather bad as the group was showing their shock and…distressed.

"Hmm… Something just happened. They are leaving. Come on, Helmet-chan. Let's go." She turned to her companion who wore a Stahlhelm which was rather stand out from the rest of regular students.

"Please don't call me that, Alisa-san."

"Sure, _Net_ -chan."

"Uhh..."

Her name was not mention much but the friends at Saunders simply called her out of teasing as 'Helmet-chan', an affection nickname for she always seen wearing the tanker helmet all the time.

"Really. If we have picked those pair of glasses before we sortie, we would be not so conspicuous to the others and able to blend in perfectly.

Yeah, because wearing a giant pair of thick glasses along with a fake nose is _totally_ not conspicuous, **_at all._** The helmet-wearing girl thought sarcastically.

Just they were about to hit the staircase, the leading twin-pony-tailed stumbled upon a short-height girl carrying some large pack bag.

"Ex-excuse me..."

"Oh no. The fault is mine…"

The two pairs of eyes looked direct onto each other face and spotted on something that rather attractive about them.

"Freckles…" said Lotte, the little one with twin buns.

"Freckles." Alisa repeated.

"Freckles."

"Freckles."

The two quickly placed their both hands on each other's shoulders at the same time.

"Freckles!"

"Freckles!"

They soon danced themselves in a circle while continued on saying freckles, freckles in a tune.

"What…what just happened?" asked a student with razor-cut style accompanying Lotte.

"I think she has just found a…soul mate?" Helmet-chan explained.

The little dance quickly ended.

"That was nice and all but I think it's best to leave you guys be on your own business then." Alisa said with a bit of (bad) acting.

"Sure, no problem. Alisa from Saunders." Lotte said.

The named person's color was drained a bit as the rogue Kuromorimine student shifted her friendly face to a serious one.

"Oh, don't be so surprise. You are quite famous than you have thought. Especially with that mental breakdown of yours when the whole Ooarai force came chasing you back in the first tournament match."

"What the f—A-Ah no-no-no-no! You must be mistaken. Oh-hohoho." Again, Alisa's (bad) acting was taking a shine. "My name is Franki…An…Anne! My name is Anne Frank!"

"Oh? And do you know where we often concentrate the girl with such name to, right?" said the rogue student.

"…"

"…"

"Ok, that was dark. Forget what I just say." She looked away from their stare, feeling embarrassed.

"Anyway, we are in the middle of a coup de grâce. You girls want to join in?" Lotte asked them out casually.

"Coup de grâce? Of what?"

"Bringing down the Kuromorimine and Nishizumi Style."

The two Saunders spies looked at each other for a moment then turned back to the little German girl.

"Hell…yeah?"

~0~

« Damn. Did you hear how she screamed? » One of Jagdpanzers radioed in.

« Karrenn~! » A mimic cry by someone earned the cackles over the channel.

"Alright. Alright. Settle down people.” Karen was still in her focus mode, humbling over the victory they had just achieved. "Like I have said before, this is all just a warm up."

« Really, why we don't take what we have and bring this whole damn school carrier down to the bottom of the sea? » Elena suggested the idea that brought out a few cold sweats from the girls.

« Calm down Satan. »

Then came an odd yet catchy ringing tone.

"Is that your phone ringing?" Hawisa asked, looking toward Karen.

Laren drew the device from her pocket and opened its lip.

Operation Valkyrie had an objective in mind, and it was still far from completed. The person Karen needed to be on this very field was showing her name on the phone's screen.

The auburn-haired pressed the green button and placed it over her ear.

« Karen…senpai? »

 


	8. to one's heart; Erika

Tap. Tap. Tick. Tap.

Tick. Tap. Pac. Tap.

Pac. Tap. Tap. Tick.

They're the sounds of drops dampening on top of the metal roof, echoing throughout the space of the maintenance shed.

The cold chilling air slowly crawled onto the exposed portion of every person standing inside. Some self-massaged their arms, their legs to feel a bit comfortable and warm against the cold.

However, behind a tank named Panther, there sitting a light-blond hair girl cuddled all by herself. For some reason, her state of mind was not there. She simply sat there and gazed absently at some spot. Like a hollow shell, like the empty tank hull right behind her.

_Cold…_

_Tired..._

_I'm so tired..._

"Erika...chan..."

Her name was called, with hesitated and worry. However, the named person didn't respond, or rather, she just didn't want to.

Too much had happened to her today. She felt...

To be honest, too many things was going on in her head. She was betrayed by the one who she trusted. Then again, she felt it was actually her own fault that this whole thing actually happened. She had let everyone down and got her...friends involved into this mess.

Where...and when, and how did she do wrong?

"Erika-chan..."

Again, her name was called.

Again, she did not respond.

"I really don't want to be some…your-wise-wisdom-friendly-classmate of some anime so I won't dive into that topic."

"But Erika-chan…don't you think should…I don't know. Stop sulking anymore?"

"…"

"I'm tired of seeing you like that, you know? I know how it's bad…it happened to me too. Being a disappointment, being…useless. But I'm tired, I'm sick of getting those stupid and negative thoughts get into my head like that."

"That time, when you stand right outside my classroom. It really…surprised me, and hearing how you really want me back. I'm…really happy."

"I'm glad you have changed, Erika-chan. And I think you're just beginning to appreciate the Sensha-do…and the new friendship you made."

"I really don't know what Karen-senpai's actual intention but…don't you want to search that answer too? Isn't that what Commander always do, to listen and to understand her troops?"

"…"

Maybe it was Leila's imagination but she saw there's a slight reaction comes from Erika…

"…Everyone seem have set up some radio station, trying to hear thing outside. I will go and help them to see what we can learn."

"…"

Leila soon left, leaving Erika who continued to sit there for a period of time.

_Searching for an answer…_

_'Isn't that what Commander always do, to listen and to understand her troops?'_

_As a Commander…_

Erika's mind drifted back to the day when she was appointed to become a new Commander of Kuromorimine.

_'M-me? As a new **Commander**?!'_

_'Do not freight Erika.'_

_'I'm not going anywhere yet till the end of the school's year.'_

_'The commander is **you** now, Erika.'_

_Maho…_

_'Well we, the third-years are not leaving you just yet. We are your senpais after all, we work together as a team, and teach our cute underclassmen with experiences we had on the field.'_

_'Erika, stay strong. This is Sensha-do too.'_

_Karen-senpai…_

_'I have found it. My own Sensha-do.'_

_Miho…_

That gentle smile… She remembered how it was rather irritated.

_‘That girl did not deserve such position!’_

How stupid for her own ego and pride back then.

She looked at the hand that once slapped that little innocent face out of blind anger.

Despite all that, it came to a moment that Erika finally accepted her as the Vice-Commander, a...Kameradin (comrade).

Thinking of it now. She just felt a sadness and regret.

_Miho…I…_

« KKKYYY— **GGGGGGYYYYAAHHHHHH! ! ! !** »

_...okay...what the hell was that?_

That sound was hardly to ignore so Erika soon got up and go investigate the source.

To what Erika saw was a few familiar faces were standing around a vehicle bearing a framed antenna. In the center of attention, Leila was showing…some sign of ears damage.

"Leila-senpai! Are you alright?" Sheska asked.

"Ouch...ouch...what in the world was that…?" The twin-tailed massaged her both ears.

"It likes it comes straight out of horror movie or something."

The tank radio operator tuned the radio, searching for active frequencies. It wasn't long till they soon stumbled upon these.

« …*stss*SNAKESNAKESNAKE! Help me! **HELP ME! !**! »

« ~What would you do with a drunken sailor~ What would you do with a drunken sailor~ »

« ~Put her in bed with the Captain's daughter~ Put her in bed with the Captain's daughter~ »

"Is that…Drunken sailor song?" Geshiko asked.

Soon they overheard these random chatters on the channel.

« Hye! Hye! Is this thing on? One-two-one-two! »

« Boo-ya! Baby. I'm driving the tank here, bitches! »

"I recognized that voice. She is one of the sailors at the bar."

"…Sailors? Don't tell me Karen actually has those girls join in too?"

New questions and new theories coming in, and they were soon all answered and confirmed. Karen and others who joined her were not the only ones who participating in this coup.

Confusion.

Chaos.

Fear.

Reporting of their own tanks fired at them.

Hysterical scream of calling out for help.

Voices of tank commander asking for an order, an instruction of how to get out of this mess came in tow.

Erika realized how similar it was when they’re facing Ooarai…no. Maybe even more than that, Karen-senpai and her team were terrorizing and ridiculed the weakness of Nishizumi Style.

Then shortly afterward, the conversation between Karen and Abe.

« After all, isn't Sensha-do is a way to search for one true self? » Karen's words somehow had Erika...compelling.

_A way…to search for one true self…_

Thinking back, was Karen actually _used_ Erika with the intention to get some information out of her or there was…another purpose that lead to this?

_'Hi Erika-chan!'_

_'C'mon. I want to show you something.'_

_'Anyway, this is for the future of Kuromorimine so I can give you a hint.'_

_'Don't think. Do it! Let the girls do what they love.'_

_'After all, we're just human. With a…'_

_With a…what?_

It was the one missing puzzle Erika had stumbled on.

Everyone listened on till to the very moment that sealed the fate of the leader of Disciplinary Corps.

« … **KKKAARREEEEENNNNN!** —*ssssttttttt*... »

A scream of that name was boomed throughout the spacious of the shed before the static came along, then…the absence of it.

"…" The girls looked at each other and back, hoping that they're mistaken about it, about the thing that the rebel group actually had just achieved...

"Holy shit...that girl actually has done it." Mauko-senpai was dumbfound. "She has kicked those Disciplinary girls' asses..."

"Incredible..." Ritaiko muttered out the word that drew everyone's odd look at her.

"Well...You cannot deny it. It's quite a feast."

_They actually did it? They have defeated the Disciplnary Corps who used Panthers and Tiger IIs with just a handful of Jagdpanzers, Jagdpanther, Panzer IIIs and a Panther?_

It was beyond of disbelief. Yet, it happened. It really happened.

It was strange that Erika was no longer bearing any sort of angst, nor boiling anger inside her.

Like Ritaiko had expressed it. Awe and admiration, they're what Erika was having at the moment. They reminded her of the accomplishments she had achieved here in Kuromorimine, her unyielding struggle. She then came to a realization of why the Disciplnary Corsp was defeated…

_'You girls have fought bravely, and royal to the faults of the Nishizumi Style.'_

_'I have realized that our method…the Nishizumi Style is…falling behind.'_

_'The Nishizumi Style…was supposed to be a perfect consonance, graced in advancing, never looks back or show any hesitate in making the sacrifice in order to achieve victory. But I see how it has become a…double-edged sword.'_

_'The Nishizumi Style is having you trained in advancing and precise attack while maintaining the perfect formation. It was the root for Kuromorimine strategy. At the cost…it did not train you to counter the…unexpected situation.'_

_Headmistress…_

_'That lost...was the beginning of downfall of Kuromorimine huh?'_

"…"

Erika’s hand reached down, drawing out a certain hard object from her skirt's pocket.

It's a smartphone, a must-have item for every schoolgirl.

Even though there're many movies had ruled out such convenience item for the sake of the plot, Erika wanted to make a call to the person in mind, but first, she decided to return to her original position.

…

…

"Ok. Enough with the staring. It's creepy!" The red-haired sailor with black bandana said, noticing the awkwardness. "I'm just a simply sailor doing the Sensha-do as her own extracurricular activity."

"And those sailors out there didn't?"

"…If my thought is correct. They must be led by Obama."

"Wait what? Obama-san is here?"

"Japanese one, not American." She corrected them. "Obama Kobayakawa. What you can say about her is that she's the leader of Nightingale gang."

"Wait. There are territory gangs bellowed the deck?"

Even though the Sensha-do members were on a friendly term with the sailors back in Garden of Eden, this was the very first time they have heard of it.

"Of course. I'm actually with the Six-Finger gang, in case you want to know."

"…" While a few was in shock or nervous to Kai's revelation, Cadenza put up both hands before her. Soon she came to realize which 'six fingers' Kai was affiliated to.

"Those six fingers hah?"

"I know that Karen-senpai and Obama-senpai are on good term.” Kai continued. “But not that close to stick out their neck for each other like that. Unless…they have a common goal."

"So…Kuromorimine, the Nishizumi is their…common enemy?"

"…They’ve kicked the Feldgendarmerie’s asses…so what well become of us?"

"We will stop them of course! With Maho is leading us." Despite with Mauko-senpai's voice full of confidence, she noticed many didn't have the same spirit as her.

"…"

To everyone, Maho was a good commander, had a collected mind, often kept up the stoic face and she never berated anyone harshly. However, that was because they had obeyed the Nishizumi to the letter like a well-oiled machine.

What happened in that skirmish, they could tell and…feared. Even with their armor and number, Karen and her group would have something up in their sleeves to turn things upside down like they have done with the Disciplinary Corps. Would Maho have such plan to counter back like that?

Along with that conversation between Karen and Abe, it sounded like the rebel was doing this because…they're the victims…and it sounded…right.

At this moment, the girls' heart was not where they wanted as they were in doubt, hesitated, and confused.

However, there was one person with a certain mind, one she needed to come clean and understand about one's heart.

~0~

_Come on…me. Press it!_

Erika took a deep breath, her finger finally pressed on the screen, initiating the phone call.

 **«*tuutt*…** **»**

 **«*tuutt*…** **»**

 **«*tuutt*…** **»**

**« _*tuu_** _— **click!***_ **»**

_Damn…it actually got through!?_

"Karen…senpai?"

« Hello! This is Karen's service sex line! How may I assist you? »

For the **_obvious_** reason, Erika just wanted to toss her phone away like a rock, but she didn't, which was quite a miracle…

_Deep breath, Erika. Deep. Breath. Deep breath!_

"Karen-senpai, please..." Erika said, almost like begging.

There was a silent moment, well, not exactly an eerie silence when Erika could heard some inaudible noises on the other side.

« ...So what do you want to ask? »

_Right, where to start..._

There're too many questions for her...

But there's one and foremost question she needed to ask Karen-senpai first.

"Why?" Erika asked.

« …Thanks to a certain person, I have come to love Sensha-do again. »

"...Miho?"

« The one and only. » A small laughter was heard.

« You know Erika-chan... »

From here, Karen's tone has changed, not from the usual friendly tone Erika heard, but a more...serious and sad.

« Back in my first year of Kuromorimine. I wasn't exactly into this Sensha-do at all. I simply joined in because my sister was there. Her stories during her time in Kuromorimine, with Sensha-do have inspired me to do so. We had one hell of fun time together, although to a certain degree because we are in Kuromorimine after all. »

« And the winning of the 61st tournament was a pure joy to me at that time. »

« …But then I noticed them, almost every eyes of people in business suit didn't care to give a single look at us, my sister or the senpais. They were all eyed up to one person on stage, Shiho Nishizumi and…'Kuromorimine' behind her, the name Kuromorimine, **not** us. »

« At first, it didn't affect me much because my sister was there. But when she gone...the darkness and cruelty settled in. »

« We didn't have any time to get ourselves drunk in that victory. In fact, a new training program implemented on us. It was way harsher than the first. Even the curfew was much stricter. There was a little time for us to take a breather. »

_Was it true?…may be it was…_

Erika actually didn't know the senpais' problem. Maybe it was because they're first year at that time so there was more time for them to relax than senpais.

« Kuromorimine really pushed us to our limits. As we were all trained to do one thing, and one thing only: to **obey** the Nishizumi. »

"…" Such words really made Erika's mind went blank.

« Show no weakness. No mercy. No matter what may befall us, we advance. » It was a quote from Shiho Nishizumi.

« It was too perfect. A perfect chanting spell to obey. We're programmed like a machine, cold and emotionless. »

« Shiho Nishizumi, Maho Nishizumi, and Miho Nishizumi. It was all just about them and the Nishizumi Style. »

« Everyone was really looking forward for the Kuromorimine to earn its tenth win in a row. »

« Failure is not an option. It was what have said right in front of our face. »

« There're a lot of riding on back then, you know. Having your first years joined in the rank as the youngest champions. If we didn't fulfill the duty or perform it well, we will be discarded. »

« But really though, what were we back then? Cogs in the works? A **fucking** Nishizumi **posers**?! »

Erika was a bit surprised by Karen's outburst, but she could heard Karen-senpai was calming herself with steady breathing.

« …When I got hit by that fever. I freaked out. Really. I. Freaked. Out. Because I did not want to be left out. I need to join the team so I can...fulfill my role. »

« But **she** stood there, right in front of my room, with a concern look on her face. »

"When you said she has made a good point. What exactly did she say to you?" Erika inquired.

A chuckle was heard.

« _It's nothing really. The conversation between us wasn't all that special…"_

There was a brief of pause.

« She pleaded. »

"…"

« She pleaded." Karen repeated it. "She implored me to stay in bed, for the sake of my health. »

"…"

« It was cheesy, right? However, it got to me somehow… »

« I would have obeyed immediately if she ordered me to do so as a Nishizumi, but she didn't. Not a word of authority comes from her mouth to make me go back to bed. She was…sincere. She spoke these…words of worry and caring about my health. »

« It...troubled me a bit, but I...listened to her. **Listened** , not obeyed. »

"…"

« And what she did back in that final, saving you and the girls... It...moved me. It opened my eyes. Like it’s waking me up from this…spell. »

"…"

« Yeah, the third-year senpais were bitches back then. Hell! I would imply that to the Headmistress too. But I can't really hate them...when I found out about it. »

"About…what?"

« At the senpai graduation day. I decided to comfort them about it, particularly to Miho's tiger crew. Even without their tank commander, the driver could have back away or turn a bit to the side for the Panzer III to get through. So a question came to me: 'What the hell they're doing back there?' »

« And you know what they've said? »

"…"

« There was no order. »

"…"

« There was no order, they said. At that moment, I realized the senpais didn't hate your girls for that mistake you have made at all. They were angry at themselves, for too long you see. Like me, they have realized how they were…only to move where there's an order. »

« The Nishizumi Style…We were made to become its limbs. Without a head to think, only to move when given order to. We were nothing but cogs. »

« But Miho's action…really slapped us all awake. »

"…"

« We all love and took Sensha-do quite seriously, you know? Because it was a place that you would find something for yourself that no other place would have. And Kuromorimine was the highest beacon of all. »

« Like you. We all made that choice, choosing Kuromorimine. Some of us even decided to enroll in despite the big 'no' from the family. But to see the other side of it…you can imagine it, can't you? »

"Karen-senpai…"

« So after the whole ordeal with the ever-first-defeat and Miho's transfer. Instead of waiting dull days ahead to pass by, I started with my little rebel band, making trades, selling stuffs to other schools…with a bit of more VAT, hehe. So we can get a profit to buy stuffs for ourselves. And conducting ourselves into the bar business with the help of…underground friends. Inviting and helping our cute kouhais (underclassmen) and every pour soul who wanted to cry their heart out, to cope with their stress. »

Maybe Erika didn't realize it, but she was unconsciously forming a smile on her face. The story didn’t make her to get frustrated, it only made her was more admiring to Karen-senpai.

« They're certainly have helped many but to me, they're nothing but temporary distraction and brief victories… »

« You know. At one point, I actually intend to quit Sensha-do…until **she** came back. When I saw that clip by pure chance. »

"The one with St. Gloriana?"

« Oh? You’ve watched it too? »

"Yes, just a few days ago."

« Hmm-hmm. It was sure something right? Seeing those Ooarai girls did to their tank, so ridiculous, yet so pure. They remind of my first time doing the Sensha-do. »

For a guile leader like Karen-senpai, Erika was quite amazed to hear how warm her voice was. At the same time, Erika remembered how she got to experience Sensha-do for the first time too...although, not a happy good start.

What she remembered vaguely was how she felt…horrified by the fast speed of some panzer, maybe it was Panzer II, she rode on with some two girls. Not gonna lie, she actually remembered how she screamed: 'I hate tank!' What a life.

« The Ooarai girls sure got their asses kicked alright. Miho-chan, however, in those last minutes, she fought vigorously, taking down all St. Gloriana tanks, till she was knocked out by Darjeeling. In the end, what I saw in her, she herself proved that she's still a Nishizumi. And then the Selection… »

Erika remembered it. The moment when she heard Ooarai name was called. Nobody could have expected **that**. The unmistakable face of their Vice-commander dressed in a white blouse and green skirt, a uniform of that no-name school, walking on stage and drew out a number, placing the name onto the board.

Utterly stunned and shock, they're what Kuromorimine girls has expressed. Simply no words, and Erika was dejected and furious at the same time.

« I'm sure you and everyone else were completely shocked and angry back then. But man! I have to put my best poker face not to scream out of joy when I saw her! »

« Who could have imagine it, right? That our Miho-chan, the one who ran away from Kuro…no, away from Sensha-do. Suddenly became the Commander of Ooarai, some no-name school and make one hell of a comeback to Sensha-do. »

Karen's voice reviewed to all the matches won by Ooarai. The funny chase Saunder's flag tank. The good fight with Anzio. The climax moment with Pravda.

« Every victory she achieved along with Ooarai, her new comrades. I noticed Miho has changed. »

« That girl was smiling, for the first time. I realized she was enjoying Sensha-do. And their victory was no luck. It was because of their skill, and those girls were fought and moved by themselves, not just by a single given order. They simply did it with their own thought. »

_'With a mind...on its own.'_

Erika finally remembered Karen's words. Not only that, she realized why Miho had done it back then.

No one was able to move back then, but only she could. And only her, because she **cared**.

_Miho always cared about everyone, even me...no matter what feeling I show to her. She will and still care..._

...

...

"It touched my heart, as well as everyone here." Karen said.

"I don't know if Cadenza has told you this but…"

"Back when we were...got turned upside down."

"I laughed. We laughed. Not out of crazy or anything. We laughed because we’ve finally come to enjoy the Sensha-do once again."

"Miho's action has touched everyone heart and so the Sensha-do became more popular. Every dark horse on Japanese soil cried out, wanting to taste such feast."

"So you should too, Erika-chan. You love Sensha-do, more than anyone. If you want to prove yourself as a worthy leader of Kuromorimine. Now it's the time to do it."

Just before she decided to hang up, the voice on the other side quickly stopped her.

« Karen-senpai. Wait. »

"…"

« You said you won't pull any punch right? »

Before Karen-senpai could answer, Erika continued.

« Be prepared then. Because my punch is gonna be much **stronger and harder** than yours. »

"!?"

It really took Karen by surprise, a little cute girl younger than her by one year was baring such vicious fangs toward her.

« I have to admit what you did out there. Really impressive. Fitting to that 'All is fair in love and war' quote. But what I am about to do to you. Is Sensha-do. Is Kuromorimine. Is...not Nishizumi Style. **But** a Kuromorimine Style, with me in **it**. I said it before, didn't I? I will wage a full throttle of Blitzkrieg. So put up your A-game, Karen-senpai. I will curb stomp it, worse than Maginot Line! »

Although it was a bit of boasting, an uncontrollable grin was formed across Karen's face.

She then laughed.

It was a heartfelt laugh out of pure joy, carrying the same pure feel that she once tasted it back at in the final.

…

…

Once the laughter was stopped, the voice continued.

« See you on the other side, Eri... » There was a brief pause. « **Kommandant**. »

The phone call then ended. However, that was good enough for Erika, for she already set a new course. Putting the phone back into her pocket, Erika soon marched toward to her teammate, to her troop. For she would command them as a Vice…no, _the_ Commander of Kuromorimine.

_There is no longer for me to hide behind their back._

_Not Commander Nishizumi._

_Nor **her** back._

_This time I will take the lead. I will decide the new future of Kuromorimine._

…

…

"…"

_Right…now how do I convince everyone to fight for me after my so-called 404 not found moment…I mean…what sort of explanation I need to say here…?_

When Erika came out from her spot, she noticed that everyone was paying intensely to the radio. Did it give out new juicy developing event?

"…Everyone?" She called out, gaining the attention.

"Erika-san!" “Erika-chan!” “Erika.”

"Commander." “Commander!”

To Erika's surprise, they all stood to attention as a form of…saluting her. Scared or hesitated were no longer appeared on their face.

_That's strange…but never mind that. Time is running out._

"Everyone. The Disciplinary Corps couldn't stop them. So now it's our turn."

"…" Everyone looked at each other silently. For a moment, Erika feared that they would reject it outright, but…smiles began to form on their faces.

"Let's go then." Mauko-senpai was the first one to spoke up.

"I go with you." Leila said as she approached close to Erika's side.

"Me too." Sheska did the same. So did Kai and Cadenza.

"Erika-san." Koume soon joined in.

Nods were exchanged, it was enough for words.

One after the next, all detained Sensha-do members had joined up with Erika, and they soon marched toward the exit where five Disciplinary girls were posted as sentries.

"Whoa-whoa! Where are you people going?" The sentry asked, baffled by the group’s daring approach.

"Haven't you heard the news? You lost." Geshiko said.

The enforcers' faces immediately went dark.

"T-that doesn't get you to leave out of this shed!" A girl pointed the MP40-shaped airsoft gun at the crowd, promptly raising the tension between two groups.

"…"

_I don't have time for this bull crap!_

Erika made a sudden approach really surprised both sides.

"If you are determine in stopping us…"

Without a warning, Erika grabbed the MP40's barrel and put it right onto her forehead, right between her eyes.

Stunned silence fell among the groups.

"Then pull it. Pull the trigger."

Erika's determine icy blue eyes had shook the nerve of enforcers, never before they have faced such ordeal like this…

The gun held by the Disciplinary girl could be seen was shaking terribly.

"W-why…?" One of them asked.

"…This is Sensha-do too." Erika answered, remembering such a quote from Maho.

"…"

"Don't go fanatic like those SS hoodlums. Our school is basing on the Wehrmacht here, so keep that in mind." Kai casually said.

It didn't take long for the Disciplinary girl to lose her will and let go of the weapon. Erika who acquired the weapon casually gave it to Koume who was standing next to her.

The other enforcers soon put down their imitating weapons.

"Thank you." Erika said. "Now I ask you this. Where is Headmistress and Commander Maho?"

~0~

It didn't take long for Erika to once again, appear before to the most powerful renowned and respected figure of all in the world of Sensha-do. Standing next to Shiho Nishizumi was Maho, her eldest daughter who also has the charisma and well-liked in Kuromorimine.

Their eyes and everyone else all turned, looking at her like it was the strangest thing has arrived.

"…"

Gripping both hands tightly, Erika marched herself forward and stopped before the two powerful renown Nishizumi figures once the distance between them was good enough.

"Headmistress, Comman…no, Maho Nishizumi-san. Please, allow me to do this."

"…"

"…"

"As **I am** the new commander of Kuromorimine now, it's my responsibility to deal with this, with my own way. Since those senpais are still my men after all."

There was a silence before the long-haired woman spoke.

"Let me ask you something, Itsumi-san." Shiho's words had surprised Erika at one point.

"Why didn't you take the shot?"

That question was really caught her off guard.

"Back in the final. At that…moment, while my…daughters were dueling each other. You had the perfect opportunity to fire that shot. It might have missed, or it could have prevent our flag tank from being immobilized. It might change something…or _everything_. It might be a bit far fetch but…why didn't you fire that shot?"

"…"

Erika silently looked straight at Shiho's face. It was really uncomfortable looking at those dagger-looking eyes. Still, Erika had no intention of backing down!

For she already had an answer for that.

Inhaled.

Exhaled.

She then finally answered.

"I was…overwhelmed."

The words made the crowd look at each other, confirming what Erika has just said.

"…By the fatigue?"

" ** _Everything_**." Erika emphasized the word. "Kuromorimine. Nishizumi Style, and my guilt for the loss of our supposed tenth victory…"

"But above of them all is…Vice-com—Miho-san."

The name had surprised everyone as well as Shiho who raised an eyebrow.

"Miho-san is my…"

_Say it._

"S-She is my…"

_Goddamn it! **Say it!**_

She once again took a deep breath…

"She is MY HERO! She **saved** my life! As well as my own crew, including Koume Akaboshi. She is the _heroine_ of Kuromorimine!" Her words reached to everyone's ear.

They were all utterly astonished, never before they had seen Erika was out of her character like that. Even more so when they heard how Erika actually acknowledged Miho like that.

"It's no lie that I hate her. That's because I hate her for what she did. Because she ran! She ran away…leaving us…But…but she saved our lives, **_my_** life!"

"Erika…" Maho was touched by her words.

"…"

"So yes, I was overwhelmed by these…by these…"

Erika stopped for a minute, controlling her breathing more properly. Her eyes felt hot as well as her face.

"I cannot defend for what Karen-senpai and others have done out there. But...I think they only did this because they _love_ Kuromorimine."

Erika's thought brought out many reactions among the crowds as they tried to process it.

"If they hate Kuromorimine, they simply would just transfer out of school long after that...the downfall of Kuromorimine."

Many were puzzled and reacted by such word.

"..."

"It's what Karen-senpai has said at that night when I first came inside the bar."

"It was rather…strange when I didn't think of it. Maybe I was still overwhelmed by the fact that...well, not everyone was strong. Kuromorimine is a prestigious school. It's harsh and always demands your very best. To win."

"To win..." Erika repeated. "I thought that is what I _must_ do it when I'm here in Kuromorimine. To overcome all of those challenges, to win…"

"But I begin to see that was not the case."

"Karen-senpai and others, they love and respect Kuromorimine. It's just that…behind it…is the Nishizumi Style, a style of showing the unwavering spirit, for honor and glory of the Sensha-do practitioners. Yet, in reality, it didn't inspire those practitioners in a way that it should."

Many was staggered by such confession. Those words were truly implying to the Nishizumi Style that it...it was its own fault that it lead to this...

"…"

"Please don't be misunderstand. I admired it. I admired the Nishizumi Style."

"I would even devoted my whole life to Kuromorimine, at the cost of my life. And I _did_."

To Maho and everyone's shocking, Erika wasn't exaggerated it. She did _intend_ to sacrifice herself for the sake of victory in that 62nd Tournament.

"Crazy hah? Maybe I was quite delusional...until Miho...woke me up."

"Oh, Erika-chan..." Leila couldn't no longer hold those swelled up tears.

"If there's anything I have learned from our final match with Miho...with Ooarai team. There's something more in Sensha-do than just winning."

"It's a spot. It's something friends do together. It's something we...find our true self in it."

"That fight with Miho, it can tell how much of her love for Sensha-do."

"Miho…She deserved it. That victory, it was a shout-out of Miho coming back to Sensha-do. And I'm so glad that it did!"

"…"

"To tell you the truth. I'm taking this commander position not because it was the norm. It was because of Miho, inspiration, coming from her, and also from Karen-senpai, who wanted me to do so."

"Please understand this, Headmistress. I love Sensha-do, and I admired Nishizumi Style and…along with Maho Nishizumi-san as well." Erika avoided making eye contact with the said person.

"I have done with sulking and the blaming on… _her_."

"You have said this to me before: 'I'm entrusting this… _new_ future of Kuromorimine onto your hands. And in order to achieve this, I shall not intervene with your…future affairs to the Nishizumi Style by any means'."

"So that is why. I will lead my…friends, my… **kameraden** (comrades), as well as everyone here. To lead Kuromorimine. That is what I. Will. Do!"

"…"

"…"

The absence of voice settled in. At this point, Erika simply swallowed her saliva to ease the dryness in her throat. She stood still and waited…

"…"

"…"

"…Well, what are you still standing there for?"

That question...was rather completely unexpected.

"…eh?"

"You already answered my question. Or is there something else you want to add?"

"Ah…no, Headmistress."

"Get a move on then! Time is running out."

"R-Right!"

As soon as Erika turned, she noticed something was off among the crowd. They were looking at her, not with funny or angry look. In fact, they were calm and resolved...

" **Actung!** "

The first-year, second-year and third-year members promptly stood in attention, including Erika's former crew as well.

"We are standing by. Please give us the command, **Commander**."

"...everyone."

Erika made a quick nod. Before she could say something, she noticed her loader's face was quite red.

"Sheska, are you alright? Your face looks red."

"Ah...well! I'm just thinking you're quite...cool back there, Erika-senpai."

"Uh…uhm…well I…just go with the flow…"

_Then again…_

It's rather strange, considering that she just stormed out here, demanding that she will lead her team out to deal Karen-senpai's rebel group yet, she met no resistance at all, even Headmistress was easily allowed it.

As for Cadenza and Kai, the two were...their expression were hinted that they're trying to hold...smiling? Smirking?

Before Erika could gave it a thought more properly or ask one of them, she got hit by a ballistic Leila.

"Oh Erika-chan! I'm so proud of you!"

There came a whistle. Not the kind that you made to gain the attention, but the kind to tease about the two having a relationship. Soon, there was some giggles among the group.

"E-everyone. To your tank, now!" Flustered, Erika quickly gave an order which they soon obeyed.

"Cadenza, you coming?"

"Well, it's just that…" The black-haired massaged her head, showing troubled expression.

"Comandante. Are you sure you'd allow me to drive your tank? You know that I'm her tank driver right? Well, _former_ driver."

Before Erika could say something, Leila stepped in.

"I'm pretty that we can trust you since Karen-senpai didn't let you join that rebellion. And what you will do to us? Not stomping the pedal? Drive us straight into the gun barrel?"

Hearing it, the driver laughed out lightly. The loader and the gunner chuckled as well.

"And besides, you already switched sides. There's no way you can go back to them now, right?"

"..."

"..."

"...I somehow sense a subtle of insult in there, but bene! (fine!) I will join you girls." The blushed Italian resigned to her fate, she then said something softly. "Grazie, amici. (Thank you, friends.)"

…

…

After a haste of rearmed and refueled, the Panthers were soon to be mounted by the crew.

"Come on, girls. We will show them who the big-bad-kitties are!

"JA!"

"Is the Königstiger ready?"

"Yes."

Even though it was the obvious choice for everyone to pick the medium and heavy tanks since Karen's tank group has stolen other tanks from Disciplinary Corps thanks to their…underhanded tactic. So they needed to choose the tanks that should be equaled in both terms, armor and firepower.

To Erika, however…

_Heavy tanks again…no. Not like this. What I want is…_

"Everyone! Dismount!" Erika shouted out a command which halted everyone's movement in the shed.

"Everyone. From the tank. Dismount!" She repeated. "We are not using those Panthers nor the Tigers."

"We are not using the heavy tanks?"

"Then...what tank do we sortie with?"

"Follow me, everyone. We are moving to the shed number seven." She turned to the mechanics. "I also need you guys help as well. Follow us."

"Shed number seven. That would be..." A mechanic soon realized what kind of shed Erika intended to enter.

…

…

The two Nishizumis were surprised, seeing their new Commander was stopping them from using the Panthers and then lead the girls and the mechanics toward to elsewhere.

"What in the world is that girl doing?"

"She is leading them, mother." Maho answered, even though she was unsure about the execution part. "She is making a new change, just like you have asked."

"A new Kuromorimine…"

"So…no one gotta tell her that we have listened in their phone conversation?" asked the radio operator.

"No." Shiho said flatly.

"…Understood."

Lips were sealed, at least until after this whole thing…

...

...

"Wow! This brings back the memories." Mauko-senpai said, looking at the lineup of old Kuromorimine tanks.

"Panzer IV F2, Panzer IIs, 35(t)s and Stug IVs. We will choose them."

"Are you serious?" Saugo asked. "We are picking the light and medium ones to fight those heavily armored tanks out there?"

"I am." The answer was firm and no hesitated.

"Blitzkrieg. So this is what she actually means it." Kai muttered.

"She learned from the best." Cadenza said.

"The Ghost Division." Kai added.

After a brief exchange between tank commanders, one of them turned to Erika.

"How many tanks do you want us to deploy?" Mauko-senpai asked.

"How many people do we have?" Erika asked.

"About..." Just when she was about to count, a mass of Sensha-do members was completely took her by surprise. "Whoa! That's a lot."

"Uhm…Commander. We would like to help you. Please give us the command." said a first-year.

"I'm appreciate it. Thank you." Erika said. "Are you familiar with operating in Panzer II or Panzer 35(t)?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Let's go with…twenty tanks then." She decided that would be a suitable number.

"Let's us pick that Stug IV." Mauko's gunner said. "We have trained with it for some time."

"Still royal with Panzer III, Sango?"

"Hey, it's what I rather comfortable with." She said, choosing Panzer III Ausf. G.

"Let's hope my muscle memory is still there..." The Sensha-do members quickly went through the selection for their chosen tank.

"Erika-san," Ritaiko said, showing a hesitated expression. "Is…is it ok for us to…pick up Elefants?"

"Merda! (Shit!) Of all the good tank destroyers, why you have to pick up the worst one?" Cadenza's face went dark.

"…"

"I mean. They would give you a good edge in—"

"Of course. Choose however it suits to your own style, Ritaiko."

"My own style…" She muttered. "Thank you, Vice—I mean, Commander." With a quick bow, Ritaiko and her crew went to the other shed for their tanks.

"Yeah, totally _not_ my style. Thank you very much."

"Erika-chan...What tank do you want to choose here?"

"Eh..."

Funny. After that heartfelt answer, Erika began to find a bit trouble of what kind of panzer they should choose here.

Without a warning, there was a sound of honking. Not the normal honking from a car that you would hear it on the street. It was loud, _very_ , very loud, along with deep bass, like a honking of a truck, but came from some biggest speaker ever made.

Everyone then began to feel the...vibration.

"What the..."

"Earthquake?"

"We are on a ship here!"

"Look. Over there!" One of girls said, pointing her finger at a direction.

All faces turned and dumfounded by something that they normally don't see it every day.

"A moving…building?"

"No, it's a…truck?"

"Ookii…(Big…)"

Big was one word to describe it. It was a massive, massive-sized truck, with its height at least over 7 meters, and 9 meter wide.

"More like someone's trying to overcompensate for something. Am I right?" A female mechanic said, looking up at Ultra Class haul truck operated in the mining site, Komatsu 930E.

Despite all the confusion, there's one general question: what the hell is it doing here?

« **GIRLS!** » A loud booming voice was came from the driver's seat, and everyone quickly recognized whose voice it was.

"Chief!?"

"Chief! You're back."

"As soon as I got the phone call." The old mechanic slid himself down from the opened door with a robe, descending him quickly to the ground.

He then handed goggles to every tank commander.

"It stopped raining but the mud and dirt will get into your eyes so best to put those goggles on."

"Th-thank you."

"Thank you Chief."

Even though his attitude was rather hard to approach, but everyone, including the girls gave him their most respect.

"Commander Erika. This Panzer IV here should be good." He pointed his finger to the specific tank.

It was different from other Panzer IV F2s by the color. Its camouflage scheme was rather interesting, having dark gray painted about a third over the undercoat of red oxide.

"I've also modified its engine and took a test run with it from time to time."

"Ewww~ A man inside a tank?!" The first-years nearby exclaimed as their faces were grimaced, or rather, they acted that way out of joke.

"That's blasphemy."

"Heretic!"

"Do I even have to care at this point...?" The Chief said nonchalantly.

"Come on girls." Erika gestured her crew to climb on. "Thank you Chief."

"Just make sure you bring that girl back in one piece."

"That's what I'm intended to do."

Just before Erika climb aboard, she noticed the Tiger with [217] was sitting right next to her.

_Watch me, Miho. I will show you the **new** Kuromorimine with me in it._

…

…

"Took you a bit too long to get back here, Chief." said the novice.

"Well hell! Just before I'm about to climb onto my tank. There was a patrol car with two women in it. And they decided to hassle me over my driver license." The Chief said, sighing. "Then I saw on the other side of the road, there sitting this gigantic ass haul truck nearby."

"You know. If it was up to me. I would just climb into it and hit the pedal. It'd make CJ proud." The novice said.

"Who the hell is See-Jay?"

…

…

"Quite a big dusty in here." Kai said, opening her turret's side hatch for ventilation.

"Hey, as long as it can run." Cadenza said, moving two levers lightly. "And I can feel this bambino (baby) will do many great things."

« What call sign do we use for, Commander? » asked Mauko-senpai via radio.

"Tank number? Nummer? Nürnberg?" Leila suggested a few.

"…Rheinland." Erika said.

« The one we used back in that Jatkosota's practice match? »

"It is."

« …Copy that. We will begin to assign it out. »

"This makes me feel like one of the soldiers who joined the rebel to against his own empire." Kai said. “Then of course, in the matter of perspective. We’re fighting for Kuromorimine here.”

"…did he survive?" Cadenza asked.

"Won't spoil it, but how about you girls join me for a movie night after we defeat Karen-senpai?"

"Can do."

Thanks to the Chief's finger-pointing and mechanics' help, the chosen panzers were soon prepped and readied.

"Final checking. Call it in."

« This is Rheinland 2. We're readied. » reported Mauko who commanded over Stug IV.

« Rheinland 3. Standing by. » Koume, tank commander of Panzer IV F2 said.

« Rheinland 4. Standing by. » reported Sango, commanding a Panzer III.

« Rheinland 5. We're good to go. » Geshiko said, choosing Panzer II.

Soon the rest of 13 panzers followed, sounding off their status as combat ready.

« We made it—I mean! This is Rheinland 19, s-sorry we're late. » Ritaiko reported in. « Rheinland 20 says that they're A-ok as well. »

By her words, two active Elefants were appeared by the entrance.

"The system is A-ok. Starting the engine now." Cadenza said, pressing the start button.

Every tank in the sheds quickly howled up back to life, the high volume was almost deafening the people inside.

"This is Rheinland 1. All tanks. Follow my lead."

Soon all metal beasts awoke from a long slumber started to move slowly out of the dusty hangar, shrugging off the collected dust over their bodies for too long.

Even though it was a simple deployment of many panzers coming out from the shed but it made a few people who had worked long in Kuromorimine finding it was rather…nostalgic. It reminded them of the former self of Kuromorimine, as it was bearing the might and main, the power of steel.

Even Shiho Nizhizumi, it triggered her mind to remember such moment in the past as she was once in the center of it.

She silently looked above at distant dark clouds started to dismissing with a few rays of sun slipped through the gaps.

"The sun…is coming out again…"

Leading a whole new tank group under her command, Erika Itsumi gave out the powerful war cry.

"Panzer... **MARSCH!** "

…

"Stay sharp. Our opponents are senpais, they knew this field like the back of their hand but so are we." Erika contacted her tanks via radio. "As you all know. We only have one objective in this: Save Kuromorimine."

The Commander of Sensha-do looked back, overviewing her strength and number. Seven Panzer IV F2s. Five Panzer IIs. Four Panzer 35(t)s. Two Panzer IIIs, and two Elefants.

Traveling along with Erika's tank group was a Hamonag equipped with mega speaker. The purpose of it was to relief the crew out of their disabled tank.

"And of course, rescue any damsel in distress we can find."

Her words brought out a few laughs among the group to ease the tension.

« Vice-com—I mean, Commander. Above us, 12 o'clock high. » reported Geshiko, who was assuming the lead.

Many tank commanders looked up and spotted a flying object.

« Is that...a drone? »

« Are they using the drone as scout? They could give away our position! »

« Let's shoot them down! »

« But with what? »

« The 20mm auto-cannon here should do the trick. » said a Panzer II already pointed its main armament at the flying object. « Await your order, Commander. »

"...Ignore it." Erika gave the command which rather surprised everyone.

"You sure about that?" Cadenza asked.

"I know that the whole Sensha-do rule wouldn't apply to this current situation now. But at least I can trust that Karen-senpai wouldn't go so low like those Saunders did."

~0~

"Actoo!"

"Whoa! Hey! Don't make me go sick now." The rogue student showed a disgusted face by Alisa's sneezing all of sudden.

"I-it's not the flu. It's just..." Alisa was flustered, grimacing by the reason why she sneezed out suddenly like that.

_I think someone is talking about me…_

"You guys ready over there?" asked a girl who was on the other side.

The two-man saboteur team along with Saunders spies positioned themselves near to a door with a placed sign [ Media Room ].

"Ready when you are."

"Let's hope they get that reference." The little girl said, turning the door's handle slowly.

...

...

Inside the media room, two female operators were broadcasting the normal daily shows, and watching out for any pirate radio mentioning about this ongoing secret rebellion.

"Anything on your side?"

"Nope. All green here. I don't have any pirate channel on my side at all."

"From what I have listened. Those senpais would upload some bad photo into the internet?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't we…you know? Turn off the wifi?"

"How in the world you got into this department?"

"Résumé."

"Look…" She sighed and began to explain about the vital of keeping the relaying signal from their school carrier to the mainland uninterrupted, which including the WiFi as well. If they do shut that signal down, then questions would arise and JSDF would send the navy to investigate.

As they're engaging in the conversation, the two failed to notice the door’s handle was turning slowly behind.

The helmet-wearing girl outside tactically pulled out the pin of the smoke canister and rolled it gently into the room and the door was closed again.

A few seconds later, the smoke canister went off violently, promptly driving the operators out of the room. The two were clumsy enough that they fell right down by the door, but that worked just fine for the one who was standing right before them with a certain appearance.

The girls' faces slowly turned white as they saw a young child wearing a WW2 style gas mask, adding with smoke effect, the gloomy weather. Also, their mind of imagination was kicked in high gear because they have watched that certain episode from a series.

"...are you my mommy?" The young girl asked in muffled voice.

"Gii-GAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! ! ! !"

They quickly bolted out of there as fast as their legs could make.

"Save me! I don't want my face to be turned into that gas mask!"

Alisa and Helmet-chan simply looked in disbelief as the frighten operators were disappearing out of their sight.

"So they _do_ get that reference."

"Thank god for the Internet."

It wasn't long for the group to take over the control of media room.

"The Media room is secured."

The girls then began to unpack and deployed their equipment such as laptop and cables to connect to the main server.

"Set it up fast. We have got the game on."

~0~

**Sensha-do Training Grounds – Borderline between D-Sector and C-Sector.**

"This is reminding me some sort of D-day operation. The first wave is all annihilated. Now it's our second wave of assault." Cadenza said, looking toward the distant gloomy hill ahead.

"Ugh…" Leila showed a worried face.

"May I ask, do we have the Premium ammunition available?" Kai spoke out a strange question as the other four looked at each other.

"…We have HE and AP shells, but I've never heard of such 'premium' term." Sheska said.

"Pity. Otherwise, this could have been a very short episode."

"All tanks! Stop!" Erika shouted out.

Immediately, the moving tank group halted by her command.

« Enemy?! »

"No. It's…"

Followed Erika's facing direction, the others soon spotted the defeated Disciplinary girls whom state was…pitiful. Beside the fact they have been defeated, they were also got humiliated. Their uniforms were stripped off. At least with some mercy, they're managed to keep their undergarment.

"Oh my. They went a bit too far." Cadenza said.

"I would say Obama and her girls really go full mode with pillage and ra—I mean, just pillage." Kai commented.

"Watching too many Pirate movies?" Cadenza asked.

"Bloody pirates." Leila said.

"You can say that again."

"Rheinland 5, Rheinland 6." Erika gave the command. "Secure the parameter."

« Understood. » « Copy. »

Erika soon dismounted from the tank to check up the defeated Disciplinary Corps members. Many of them were crying and shamed, saying something like: I can no longer marry.

Erika removed her jacket and put over a girl who wore nothing but underwear and shivering by the cold.

Seeing their Commander's action, Candeza and Kai as well as the others soon dismounted from their tank to lend their jackets to the girls.

The two enforcers who joined with Erika soon united with their leader, Abe.

"Please wait here for a moment, Abe-san. The relief vehicle will be here soon."

"I am so sorry….I—"

Erika approached to her without hesitated and asked.

"I would like to ask you some questions, Abe-senpai. First, how is Karen-senpai's tank group current strength? How many tanks did they…commandeer from you?"

"…Four. Three Panthers and a Königstiger."

"So that makes nine tanks. That really just upgraded their whole firepower and armor." said Cadenza.

"Are they still in the D-sector?"

"No. Karen has led her tanks to C-Sector."

"C-sector…that's a plain open-country site with hills. Suitable for all Kuromorimine tanks."

"Except Elefants, still a pain to climb up those hills." Cadenza muttered.

"C-Sector…It's dangerously close the school. And it has many lines of bushes."

_A perfect stage to put those 75mm and 88mm in action._

"We can use our Panzer II as scouts since they're fast."

"But the noise could give us away."

"Back in my fighting with Karen." Abe said. "The rain and thunders had drowned away their engine noises."

"Now it stops raining. Talk about timing."

"The ground is too wet. We cannot locate their movement from the dust and all."

"I told you that you should have choose something else." Cadenza said to Ritaiko.

"Hey! Elefant is a powerful tank destroyer. It's a nice edge we have here." Ritaiko defended.

"Well, I watched that one particular clip about why the Elefant was the worst tank. It drained my expectation out it, having those hills up and down. It's a worst nightmare."

"That's about Ferdinand. This _is_ Elefant, an improved version with MG."

"Il pezzo di merda (A piece of shit)."

"Vice-commander Erika." Abe said. "I really don't know about this whole formation would work. Certainly the mobility could help you top reach fast to those Panthers, but…Karen will…play dirty."

"Thank you for your advice, Abe-senpai. But I'm no longer a Vice-commander. I'm the Commander now."

"..." Abe was rather surprised by Erika's attitude. When she first apprehended her, she was like a helpless doll without strings. What changed her so fast?

Erika closed her eye for a moment and came up with something that might help.

"Play dirty…If that's so then…"

Seeing Erika's grin, Cadenza couldn't help but asked.

"You have something in your mind, Comandante?"

"Well. Since the rule is not applying to them. So does it have to apply to us as well?"

~0~

Just before the students decided to go home once the rain stopped, they were taken by surprise as the projection screen mounted on Schwerer Gustav replica had turned on without any sort of announcement. It soon showed the training grounds which was covered by SkyEyes, flying drones with camera in real-time feed. The camera drones were focusing on the Erika's tank group.

For many times, the students watched the fearsome advance of the German tanks superior heavy armor but at this moment, the amount of light tanks deployed was what truly astonished them.

It was odd, yet intriguing which led many to call in their friends to come out to the plaza to watch this match. This unusual event even drew the attention of many club members as they ceased their activity to check out as well. Minute by minute, the number of Kuromorimine students quickly increased, filling in the plaza. And they weren't only the spectators among the gathering crowd.

"Are they...sailors?" One of the girls said, looking at the blue uniformed group.

"But what are they doing here?"

"Excuse us, are these chairs taken?" A sailor girl asked them.

"Ah...no, please by all means..."

"Thank you so much!"

"Hey, you came here because of that, right?" A sailor asked to her fellow.

"Yeah-yeah. You cannot pass on something good like that."

On the school plaza, concentrated by hundreds if not, over a thousand of students and sailors combined. All eyes focused onto the live screen.

~0~

In the calm and unmoving green bushes, there lied two metal-clad beasts, one was called a Panther and the other was Panzer III.

Instead of bearing a long wait with suspense and stress for their preys to come, the sailors who manned Panther decided to encourage the Panzer III's crew to do something that would worth of their time.

"Atta girl. Now we can show the world what we truly made of." A sailor congratulated the Panzer III's tank commander who just sent a certain message to a few contacts by her phone.

"Ehehe, this is rather embarrassing."

"Don't be! This is our finest moment. And we are granting them the best show." The sailor said.

"Here, you want some?" The Panther driver tossed a silver flask to a rogue student. To many collective consciousness, the content could be easily viewed as alcohol when in fact it was filled with special non-alcohol rum bearing extreme spicy degree.

"I hope we can end up winning when the time ends and not having us to fight." The Panzer III gunner said.

"Sounds like Disney movie." The loader said.

"In this situation we are in. It's more like Les Misérables." The Panzer III's commander said.

"Oi-oi. That's a grimy ending in the end. I'm not prepared for that."

"For the Revolution!" The loader spoke out in a spirited voice.

« Actually, we are in just for the fun. » The sailor in the Panther said.

« Wreck shit up! »

"So...no one here actually have the purpose of saving Kuromorimine, beside wrecking shit up for fun…so that makes us the baddies?"

Before the concern was pointed out, both tanks’ crews were puzzled as they heard something in the air.

"Do you guys...hear something?"

"Sounds like some weird classical orgy play." commented a sailor.

A few seconds later as that certain music was getting louder, a few girls soon recognized the notes of it.

"Is that…Valkyrie?"

« I spotted movement! »

The Panzer III's commander used her binoculars to focus on the moving vehicle.

« It's a half-track...and it's playing that awful music with those speakers. »

"Hey! It's not awful, it's classical!" The Panzer III radio operator said.

« It's raping ours ears! »

...

...

With the music named Valkyrie was continued playing through the device, the nerve of two-girl crew in the Hanomag was on the verge of break down.

"Why are we doing this?! Why are we doing this?!" The half-track driver said out loud with tearful eyes, remembering such one event that they didn't want to remember at all.

/ / /

_It was that moment when Erika laid out her…'brilliant' plan, much to their dismay when they realized they have to be the ones in the execution part as they're the crew of half-track equipped with the speakers._

_"Oh hell no! We are not doing that!"_

_"Hey relax, every vehicle is carbon-coating so it's safe, don't fear of getting penetrate." said a member._

_"What if they put a freaking HE shell on us?! We would die out of shock!"_

_"Well, sucks to be you." Kai said it flatly._

_"No. No! We are not doing that at all! We are only out for the concern of our members and Abe-san and now it's time for us to go back an—"_

_"You know..."_

_At that moment, the atmosphere suddenly changed as the air shifted to something...suffocating...the two enforcers began to they're having trouble breathing and for some reason…they could not move._

_The reason that caused them to be like was a twin-tailed girl named Leila, a somewhat easy-going, inept girl who was quite clingy onto Erika. Yet at this very moment, that girl was seen as a completely different person._

_Like there was some sort of illusion was put in play, everyone could see there was a dark-violet aura slowly coming out from her._

_Needlessly to say, the people who surrounded Leila unconsciously made a few steps away from her while the two enforcers who was standing in front of her like statues, because_ _they were froze in fear._

_"That push...was quite painful. But that kick you did to Sheska...she is fragile. And yet you're so harsh on her..."_

_"Leila...senpai?" Sheska asked nervously._

_"You hurt my friends...oh, but don't worry. I'll forgive you…"_

_The smile was formed across her face but her eyes, they were not happy at all._

_"If you do something stupid for us that will on the verge of losing your life in the progress."_

/ / /

"Why...what did we do?! We simply do what we told!"

"We only follow the school rules..."

With all the excuses, they wouldn't pardon them from the imminent danger…

...

...

Looking at the lone moving vehicle which they questioned the sanity of the crew inside, the Panther's commander said this out casually.

"Let's kill it."

« Wait-wait-wait! » Panzer III frantically said. « I know that half-track is carbon-coating like our tanks, but I don't think it would provide a good protection for them. »

« All tanks. Do. Not. Shoot. » This time, it was Karen's voice. « I repeat. DO NOT shoot. We are not committing a murder here. »

"Tsk!" That didn't make them happy at all.

"If we cannot shoot the cannon then...what about this machinegun right here?" The radio operator said, tapping on the said weapon.

"…"

"Blaze at it!"

The two coaxial guns of Panther immediately opened fire.

« AHHH! They're here! They're here! » The tracers brought both enforcers to tears and possibly in need of new pants...

…

…

Seeing the Marauders disobeyed the order, the auburn pony-haired only let out a heavy sigh.

"…There goes the public opinion and war crime."

"We already went with the revolutionary route. All you have to do is to blow up that dirty bomb." Hawisa said.

"…So much fighting for freedom." Karen continued sighing.

"And for my debt…" Taiga added it in her low voice.

...

...

While firing the machineguns did bring the good spirit to the sailors, but they wanted it more. They **wanted** blood!

« Let's put a HE shell on it! »

"Marauder 2! Stop killing them!"

Then without a warning, a metallic bang was sounded, the Panzer III's crew overheard it.

"Do you guys just hear that?"

"Something just landed on us?"

"I'll go check it out." The tank commander soon opened up the hatch to check the surroundings. Despite the coaxial guns were continuously firing onto the poor helpless half-track, she heard a certain different engine from their operating tanks. She turned and spotted a certain little tank just drove passed by.

_Was that a Panzer II?_

Then something soon caught her eyes. On their engine deck, a bright red-colored smoke was emitting from the canister. It was not just on her tank, but also on the Panther's engine deck as well. However, the Panther crew was so focusing on killing the half-track that they didn't notice it.

_A burning signal flare?_

She then overheard something was whistling in the air.

« YEAHHH! GET SOME BIT— »

All of sudden, an explosion occurred violently right nearby, rendering her ears almost went deaf as she ducked back into the turret. Soon afterward, she raised her head back up, looking at the status of her friendly Panther.

It was immobilized. A little white flag was a showed clear evidence.

Judging the damage was done by a single shell, the tank commander Panzer III confirmed that shot was from...

"That was an 88mm tank gun…"

Then another whistling came in the last seconds before the ground was exploded by the shell impact.

"Ah FUCK! That was an 88mm tank gun!"

The tank commander quickly put herself back into the tank and braced for more incoming shells.

…

…

« WAAHHH! This is Rogue 6! We are under attacked! »

« I cannot move the tank...why we cannot move the tank? » said Marauder 2.

« The referee system just kicked in. We are out. Game over, girl! Game over. »

The auburn pony-tailed quickly moved up from her seat to outside. Using the binoculars, she spotted one of her allies' positions was being sniped from away. She saw muzzle flashes on top of the hill.

Zooming in closer, she finally got to identify two enemy tanks.

"Elefants. On top of hill 22!"

« Shit! They have the high ground! »

« But that hill is at least fifteen meters high! There is no way they could climb up there with those engines. »

« Uhh…do you see something is moving behind them? »

All eyes focused onto a movement behind Elefants through binoculars' lens.

« Is it some sort of truc…OHMYGOD! IT'S MASSIVE! »

« Look at the size of that thing! »

« A…haul truck? »

« Wait what? When did they get that?! »

"… Now that I have to say. It's compensating for something right?" Karen said.

"…" Hawisa was stunned silent, not sure it was a good joke at this point.

"This is a whole new definition of taking elephants for a walk." Karen persisted.

"…please stop."

…

…

Looking at the Rogue tanks were being shells by 88mm, Geshiko felt amazed by such reckless plan has been carried out well in their favor. "I can't believe that actually work."

_'Geshiko. I'm accounting on you to spot those rogue tanks for Ritaiko.'_

To Erika's knowledge, Geshiko had a sharp sense with the surrounding as she was the first one to spot the Hetzer. Even in that chaos moment when that Hetzer was causing it, she's also the first to spot the Ooarai tanks about to open fire at them.

"Move on, driver. Let's see if we can find any more gun barrels sticking out of the bushes."

…

…

"Minus 3 degree left." As for Ritaiko, she was a good commanding of tank hunter. She would be a good card to play in the final if that stupid Hetzer didn't ruin her day. But still, at this moment, Ritaiko was utilizing her strength to deliver the accurate coordinate to her gunner and to the other Elefant.

"Feuer!"

The Elefants fired upon the order. Ritaiko tracked the launching projectiles with her binoculars, watching they made a direct hit at Panzer III's side. After violent explosions, a white flag popped out on the turret.

"Panzer III is destroyed."

The Elefant crew celebrated their small victory with yeah and high-fives.

Soon, in Ritaiko's vision, a new column of red smoke was seen at the right section of the bushes.

"New target. Coordinate is..."

…

…

« Th-this is Rogue 6. We're out. Sorry... »

« This is Rogue 4. They blindsided us! We are engaging their vanguard. They have Panzer IV F2s. »

« We have been spotted! » Elena radioed in. « They are using Panzer II and 35(t) as scouts. »

« How come we didn't hear them coming? »

« That loud Valkyrie music is dulling our hearing! »

With such cheat, Karen couldn't help but impressed. She realized that Erika was serious.

"Well played, Erika. Well played—"

« KARRENN! » A voice radioed in with a furious tone. « What the hell did you inspire to her through the phone, Karen?! »

« Now she is using the light and medium tanks. Our plan was supposed counting them on **bringing** the fucking-heavy-tank! »

"...Like I've said before, plan never survive."

« Don't make the excuse! You ruined it! »

"Hah…the thing I do for love…" Karen said. She then realized something. "Wait a minute…over the phone?"

She looked over her crew who had an answer for it.

"It's your fault for leaving your mike on…that applies to Erika as well. We heard your whole talk…crystal clear." Hawisa said.

It didn't take long for a redness appeared on Karen's face.

~0~

The students were baffled by such event of this strange unusual Sensha-do match in play.

Light and medium-type tanks were deployed instead the usual heavy tanks Kuromorimine would go with.

What they noticed that the twenty-tank team's tactic was rather…cheated, when they used the signal to give away the enemy tank location, and they used that…massive truck to pull two Elefants to get to the top of the hill. It was so odd, yet they could not deny that it was…intriguing to watch.

"Who is leading that tank group? It's not Maho Nishizumi, is it?"

"Look at the person on that Panzer IV with gray and red scheme."

"It's Erika-senpai!"

"Keep your phone's camera running, ladies." A sailor said with her phone pointed toward the big screen. "This match might be worth to remember for."

And so, more and more phones raised up in the air with its active recording lens.

...

...

"This is...this is surprising..." Alisa said, rather finding it was different than what Kuromorimine usually do. "Aren't you girls usually would go with heavy-armored tanks?"

"That...that is what we are counting on as well...but that Commander, on the other hand...is a different story." The rogue student said, unsure of the situation.

"Uhm...what is her name again?" Helmet-chan asked.

"…Erika. Erika Itsumi." Lotte answered.

…

…

« Those Panzer IVs are pushing toward us. We need to stop them now. » The engaging rogue Jagdpanzer reported in.

« This is Rogue 2. We got this. » said Elena, the Jagdpanther commander.

"Copy that…give them hell, girl." Karen grant the permission.

« Wunderbar (Wonderful). » The delighted voice soon ended.

"Did you actually encourage her to do _that_?" Hawisa asked.

"…No point in stopping her now."

"This is going to be a lot of PTSD cases after this…Scheiße." She massaged her temples, bracing herself mentally for the worst-case scenario.

…

…

Once Panzer IV F2s fired their 75mm gun simultaneously at a rogue Jagdpanzer, they soon confirmed the target was immobilized.

« This is Rheinland 8. One Jagdpanzer is disabled. And we are pushing forward! »

The vanguard soon advanced. It wasn't long for them to encounter another rogue tank.

« I have a Jagdpanther in my sight. Distance. 400 meters. »

« It's just coming out from its cover like that? »

Despite the question about its strange behavior, many didn't want this chance to go to waste since that tank destroyer was quite a threat to them. They needed to take it out right here and right now.

"Gunner. Prepare to fire." Koume with a call sign: Rheinland 3, gave the command.

The gunner's finger was on the trigger, readied to pull…

"?! Hold your fire!" Koume shouted out.

Something then happened, shocking every commander and gunner.

« Hold your fire! There's someone standing on top of the Jagdpanther! »

"E-Elena-senpai?" Koume identified the person.

Standing there was a blond-haired girl, however, her appearance was…different. Instead of wearing a Sensha-do uniform and a field cap, Elena was wearing a black peak cap with skull badge on it and long black leather pants with a trench-coat on top.

« No way… »

« Don't tell me she intends to use herself as human shield for her tank? »

It would be bad for them. Since the rule was never inflicted a direct harm on the participants, they would be disqualified if they violated, but then again, **_this_** was not a Sensha-do match. So…was she actually going to do it? Or…

« What's that in her hand? Some kind of…red baton? »

In her both hands held red-colored cylinders. Then with her hand's action, pulling some sort of string. A spark was ignited as bright red burning flare was coming out from the object.

« Road flare? »

The burning flare was then thrown away from Elena's position just a few meters away to the opened grass field...

Without any warning, to what the girls were seeing right before their naked eyes.

A wall of Inferno has appeared.

« Fi-Fire!? The whole ground is ablaze! »

« It's gasoline! They are burning the gasoline! »

That was not the only that shook them. Behind the burning flame wall, the girls saw something was coming toward them. They were glass bottles with burning cloths stuffed inside the bottle's neck.

« In—INCOMING! »

The throwing burning bottles were shattered upon the ground impact, following, a fire was burst powerful by its alcohol content.

« Molotov cocktail!? » « Is she trying to kill us?! »

Standing on top of the tank's deck, with two burning petrol bombs in her both hands, with a blazing wall of fire right in front of her, the blonde began to let this shivering feeling out of her chest.

"A ha ha...A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! **! A HA HA HA HA HA! !"**

Even though with the provided armor protection, the girls' psych status was being compromised by the effect of fire, as well as the hideous laughter like a demon sounded in the air.

Molotovs were continued throwing at them.

**"Burn baby! BURN! ! !"**

« Hiiieee! » « Back away! Back! Fall back! »

Out of panic, the vanguards quickly reversed their tracks.

"Run! You scoundrel! Run. Run for your life! **MUWA HA HA HA HA HA! !"**

"…"

"…"

The Jagdpanther crew remained silent, rather at loss of how to express their feeling at the moment while the laughter of ecstasy was continued right above them.

"I...I never thought Elena would be such a character like that…" Finally, a gunner broke the silence. "I mean, she was rather reserved and a bit panic when chaos arise but this...she is like a completely different person..."

"Actually, I was expecting this will happen…" said the driver.

"What? How can you tell?"

"Her older brother...his name is Hans."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Looking at the ongoing event from the distance, Karen let out a sigh.

"She is really giving us a bad image about the rebellion..."

 _Like you aren't._ The crew made the same sarcastic thought.

...

...

With the whole thing was showing on the wide big screen, the Kuromorimine students were in both shocked and awed. Never before have they seen such combat situation in Sensha-do like this or that person who was so frenzy doing it. The sailors, on the hand, were in glee as they laughed and cheered, enjoying such scene.

Nishizumi Maho expressed with half stunned half furious as her eye was twitching by the sight.

Nishizumi Shiho, however, she was unreadable at this point.

No one could tell what's on her mind or what she was expressing at this very moment. No one would dare to find out, as they could only to leave it to one's imagination.

"That's it. I will move back to mainland and fix automobile only. Girls are scary." One of the mechanics said with a face of 100%: I'm done.

...

...

The advancing tank group came a halt once they learned the situation.

« Th-this is...this is bad. »

« That woman is crazy! She is throwing Molotov at us while using herself as meat shield for her tank! »

« We cannot get through that! » Erika's allied tanks made negative chatter on the channel.

"Are they really breaking every Sensha-do just to hold their ground like that?" Sheska was grimaced.

"Nahh...I think that's just Elena herself." said Cadenza.

"So...what now?" asked Leila.

"Rush B…Rush _Panzer_ , no stop?" Kai suggested an odd-hearing idea.

"We can flank her, but that tank destroyer could knock some of our tanks before we get to her rear..." Erika said, checking the map for any alternative route.

« Erika-san. Please leave it to us. » A soft voice radioed in, surprising Erika.

"Koume-san?"

...

...

While other Kuromorimine tanks were slowly reversing back, a single Panzer IV F2 steadily moved oppositely.

"This is Rheinland 3. Advancing!" Koume said as the tank's engine roared up powerful like a lion, then charging straight toward to the firewall.

"Oh? Someone is trying to become a heroine today. Here, kitty-kitty-kitty! YAA!" The black-uniformed blonde tossed the flammable items right at the advancing Panzer IV.

One petrol bomb made a hit as the fire instantly spread throughout the surface.

« What are you doing, Elena!? Are you trying to kill them?! » The loader screamed out of horrified.

"It's fine! It's fine!"

Elena was fully aware that fire wouldn't make any harm to tank crew (not that she really cared about it though…).

Prepared beforehand, Koume equipped a pair of goggles to protect her eyes. She quickly opened up the hatch with a small fire extinguisher in her hand to eliminate the burning flame section. Once the fire was cleared out, the brown-haired spotted the 88mm was pointing straight at her.

"Hard right!" She shouted, bracing the sudden momentum turn as Jagdpather fired.

The shell flew pass through Koume's exposed head like a gust of wind. After that evading the Scythe of Death, Koume didn't stop there just yet.

"Go!"

The Panzer IV F2 gallantly pushed through the Inferno with its commander used a rain coat as an additional protection to shield her from the blazing fire.

"Verdammt! Du bist verrückt. (Bloody hell! You are crazy.)" Elena simply said as she saw Koume tossed the raincoat away, replacing it was her ranged weapon, the MP40-shaped airsoft gun.

"I'm sorry, Elena-senpai." She cocked the gun. "This will hurt you quite a bit." And opened fire.

Immediately, the Molotov-cocktail thrower was incapacitated by rubber bullets which packed quite a punch.

"Elena! Get back in here!" The loader quickly pulled the black uniformed-girl back inside the tank.

The Panzer IV F2 maneuvered around and came to a stop right at the Jagdpanther's rear with its 75mm pointed at point-blank range.

"Ute!" Koume shouted.

Upon the shell impact, the whole Jagdpanther could be seen was tipped down momentary before a little white flag was popped out.

« This is Rheinland 1. Rheinlan...Koume-san. Give me your status report. »

Koume smiled, looking at her crew who returned the same gesture.

"We are is A-ok here. Also, you can just call me 'Koume', Erika-san."

« ...I cannot do that. »

"Eh?"

« Not until I have tell everyone here that you are my **new** Vice-Commander. So Congratulation...Koume. Also, you can just call me 'Erika' as well. »

Koume's face was pinkish-red as she beamed a bright smile. "Hai! (Yes!)"

...

...

"KYYAAA! KOUME-SENPAI! YOU ARE SO COOOLLL!"

"PLEASE MARRY ME!"

The first years screamed out with enthusiastic along with sailors' raising-volume cheering.

"Koume. Koume. Koume. Koume. Koume. Koume. Koume."

The name of the valor was being chanted.

"KOUME! KOUME! KOUME!"

Among the sailor group, the two short-haired freshmen were the loudest ones in the group.

The spirited atmosphere and the chanting from sailors soon made other regular students to join along as well, cheering up for the heroic action which Koume has just done, and they weren't the only one.

"So that girl can hold the leash after all." Shiho said softly, with a faint smile appeared on her face.

...

...

Seeing the whole thing on the monitor, Alisa was trembling. Gathering intelligent was what she good at, for long she learned that Kuromorimine always goes with the doctrine of using their heavy armor and firepower to dictate the flow of battle, but what had transpired behind that very screen was something she has never seen before.

"Holy...was that…a mission-type…tactic? H-how long have they adopted such tactic...?" She asked Lotte.

"Auftragstaktik? I might say...just now?" Lotte was rather unsure since she didn't do much Sensha-do.

Despite the ambiguous answer, Alisa began to realize one thing: There was a new change in Kuromorimine. And it would be so, _so_ bad to her school, and to other schools as well…

Kuromorimine cannot be underestimated.

...

...

"Koume. You have done well, thank you."

« No, not at all. » Erika could tell there was a hint of embarrassed behind the voice. « I...simply just did what Miho-san would have done. »

_No, you have grown up strong, Koume. Comparing to that time..._

/ / /

_Erika remembered the time when she happened to overhear a faint sobbing coming from a corner._

_There sitting Koume, who was whelping silently. Her opened bento was barely touched._

_There's no need to ask why. Because Erika knew it too._

_Koume cried, not because of the shun by the whole school, but she learned another crew member, the third one in that fateful Panzer III had moved out of school._

_Wordlessly, Erika approached to Koume and sat down next to her side._

_The two simply sat there, silent._

_Erika really wanted to say something, anything. Then Koume’s bento caught her eyes. It was a homemade sandwiches. It looked well-made. Would be a waste not to eat it._

_"Akaboshi-san. Can I have some of that…?"_

_How stupid, me!_

_That's Erika thought, thinking it would just too insensible of her._

_"…U-Uhm." Surprisingly, Koume nodded and handed a portion to Erika._

_"Th-thanks…" A bit awkward but Erika soon took a bite._

_"…It-It's delicious!" The taste of boiled egg and ham blended so well together that it made Erika blushed._

_"…" Erika's simple words made Koume smiled faintly. She then began to eat as well._

_The two quietly ate together till everything in the bento was gone._

_'"Akaboshi-san…if you want. You can call me by my first name." Erika soon stood up to, deciding to go someplace else. 'Thanks for the meal.'_

_"Erika-san!" Koume called out. "You…you can call me by my first name as well.'_

_'Sure…K- **Koume** -san.'_

_/ / /_

_Miho...your action did not leave consequence but strength. A strength daring to make a change._

_This is the very strength that you have left us behind…_

« That was nice and all, Koume-chan. » A charismatic voice spoke over the channel. « But you should duck yourself back in now before I shoot you. »

"Eh?"

Sure enough, Koume turned her head around, spotting a muzzle flash by the distance. She immediately ducked herself in before a projectile impacted right at her tank from behind.

"KOUME!"

« W-we're alright, Erika. » Koume radioed in. "But we are immobilized, I'm sorry. »

« Don't worry, I aimed where it should be. » The voice continued.

The battle ground was taking a new turn as Erika spotted silhouettes of tanks appeared behind the fire wall and opened fire on them.

Multiple shells wrecked the earth violently. Despite having the superior number 3 to 1, their armor and gunfire power were a different story.

« It getting too much heat now, Commander! » said a Panzer IV F2. « We are exposed out here! »

"Rear guard. Hold your position. Vanguard, regroup on us." Erika quickly gave a new command to her tank group. "We are gunning it to the woods! Go!"

« To the woods! » « Turn right and left! Move in jizz-jazz! »

« Drive-Drive! Into the woods! Drive! »

~0~

Today was a bad day for Dave.

First. This freak raining storm caused him unable to find that suitable female who he longed for. Second. Some sort of apocalyptic earthquake shook his peaceful home terribly, forcing him to abandon his home and all of his goodies inside.

To his luck. Once again, those metal beasts didn't give him a time to breath. It seemed there was ongoing territory war between them.

Those beasts' mouth or long nose…he couldn't tell which part was but they **spitted out** those high velocity nuts to kill each other. It terrorized him and other friendly neighbor creatures with those explosive sounds.

Just when he thought it was all over when one side had earned its victory, a new horde came in and started the fight all over again.

Then one of those beasts were mad enough that it breathed out **fire!**

 _Oh come on! Give me a break!_ Dave thought as he made his evasive run.

The tree branches shook, leaves fell nonstop by each violent earth shake. Dave was fast, but those beasts were way faster as they're attacking each other vigorously.

After making another successful jump to a new branch, he quickly ran to the next one.

_Almost…there!_

Dave launched away with a calculated math mentally, but the landing spot he wanted to land was crumbled right before him.

It was then his jump of faith instantly shifted to a suicidal jump as he saw he was falling into the back of a certain beast clad in red and gray with a certain blowhole on it.

Dave could only braced himself as he fell into the void…

~0~

"Wah!?" The light blond-haired tank commander yelped out of surprised when something just hit on top of her head and soon landed on her laps.

"Sq-squirrel…?" Erika identified it once she composed herself. It was squirrel bearing a beautiful-looking red fur while the ears was bunny-like, yet badass-looking.

"Oh, a red squirrel. How cute!" Leila exclaimed, even though in this stressful situation, her spirit was rather at odd.

"But…How did it end here?" Sheska asked.

"He must try to run away from all of these chaos and battles." Cadenza said. "So this is what we call collateral damages hah?"

"War. War never changes." Kai said it like sort of a quote.

"He-here. Sheska. You take care of it." Erika gently handed the little furred creature over the loader.

"W-wah? Y-yes…" Sheska reluctantly accepted the task.

« This is Rheinland 4, I think they stop shooting at us. » Sango reported.

« What should we do next, Commander Erika? »

"We'll push on and flank them from the rear." Erika answered. "That firewall should cover our movement."

« Ja! »

« Let's go. »

The twelve-tank company soon moved swiftly, using the firewall as cover from the bombardment.

"How much time do we have left?" Erika asked.

"About...About 35 minutes." Leila answered.

_Even though I don't believe that Karen-senpai would actually do it. But still, if I cannot defeat her here, then how I can…_

Suddenly, Erika felt a sudden drag on their tank speed.

"What's wrong?" Erika asked the driver.

"Tsk! It's mud! We hit the mud." Cadenza replied.

Erika quickly stood up to check the terrain. True to Cadenza's words, they were no longer on a plain grassy site. A new field they have just entered was a muddy quagmire which was created recently by the rain. Its color made Erika realized what type of earth it was.

_Black earth?_

« Commander Erika! **YOUR RIGHT!** **»**

"?!" She quickly turned to the direction.

The firewall, which Erika assumed it would be an obstacle to buy some time for her tank group to flank around, was no longer served that purpose when Karen's tank group had pushed through just like Koume's tank did.

For the first time, Erika was stunned by their presence.

Not the silhouette or shadowed parts had fooled her vision, what she actually saw them with her own eyes was…

Black.

Panzers painted in black.

Maybe because they were stained by the wet mud and earth, but that explanation didn't help at all in this current situation as because of now, those panzers were charging at her flank like cavalries.

Cavalries bearing a color of death. The **Black Knights.**

All five of them fired their gun.

Instantly, four tanks in Erika's group were rendered out of action.

Radioed voices scrambled on the channel. Voices interrupted each other, bringing anxiety and confusion to radio operators.

"Erika-chan!"

"!?"

Shiver run through her back as her heart ceased beating when she saw a black Panther's 75mm tank gun was pointing directly at her.

Soon, a powerful burst of fire exploded as a projectile was launched from within the barrel.


	9. the Radical

« Commander Erika! **YOUR RIGHT!** »

Black.

That's what she saw.

Panzers bearing a color of death. The **Black Knights.**

With their thunderous salvo, all four tanks were instantly knocked out.

Soon, Erika was targeted by one of them. She could felt it was really aiming at her from the beginning, with its deadly silver eyes.

"Erika-chan!"

"?!"

When she could only brace for the worse, the whole tank suddenly made a hard turn, causing the whole crew to lean hard to one side. Erika saw her driver, the black-haired Italian who was passion about the speed was stomping hard on the pedal as both of her hands were clutching hard on two levers, pushing them with all of her strength.

With Cadenza was quick on her feet, the side of Panzer IV's turret was scratched by the projectile. However, it also scraped the moving Panzer III's frontal cheek behind them.

« Sangou! » One of the voices called out.

« W-who hit me…again? »

« Don't worry girl. You're still alive and kicking. » said a tank commander along with a laugh.

"Hold on! We are getting out of here." Cadenza said, shifting the gear hastily.

"Do not engage. Keep moving! Move away from their range!" Erika gave the command.

The remaining tanks soon did, maneuvering around the disabled allied tanks under the intense fire.

« Why did we choose the light tank for?! » A voice screamed out of panic.

« No! This tank speed actually has saved us from being dragged down in the mud back there. If we chose a Panther, we would be out of the game already! »

While the main group was making their way out, a dark-blue-colored Panther intercepted their retreating path and opened fire.

"Incoming!" Erika shouted out the warning.

The projectile was overshot as it was flying high above, did not hit any target. Erika and Cadenza couldn't help but noticed it was the same tank that didn't score a kill during the flanking.

"That Panther's gunner...Heh!" Cadenza made a laugh, hinting that she knew who behind the gun was. "(That high-born attention whore, I can smell you from here)."

...

...

"Come on, puttana. Time to penetrate you with my shell!" Yumiko, the gunner said out with bloodlust.

"...please aim at it properly this time, Yumiko-san." said the tank commander.

"She's really one happy trigger." Commented the loader.

"It's coming in fast." The commander said, observing the fast approaching Panzer IV F2.

"That's one hell of a driver." The driver commented.

Second by second, the distance between them was shortening.

"Wait…wait…"

"And fire!" Yumiko said, firing the gun.

The timing was bad.

"Oh my god, you missed…" said the radio operator.

The Panzer soon came to a full stop with its main armament was pointing directly at the Panther's turret ring, the most vulnerable point of all in the tank.

"Thank you Yumiko. You've done a great job."

With the sarcastic line has delivered, the commander, the loader, the radio operator and the driver put both of their hands over their ears as they wait for the inevitable outcome. Save for the gunner who was redden in furious.

"Oh that massive racist cun—"

With a loudest boom was made, a little white flag popped out with smoke coming out from the defeated tank.

…

…

After assessing another Panther has been knocked out, Karen let out a long sigh.

"I'm starting to regret of giving Cadenza to Erika. I should have gave up Yumiko instead."

The crew only shared one facial expression: Eeehhhh…

…

…

"Bello (Beautiful) Kai. Bello!" The driver congratulated the gunner for the first kill she had made. “That’s your first kill right there. How does it feel?”

"Whoa…" The red-haired blushed with a few sweat drops, experiencing such a…foreign feeling. "That's really…something…"

"Thank you Candeza." Erika said.

"For what?"

Finding the driver was rather oblivious, Erika decided not to say it now.

"…Nothing."

_She didn't wait for an order. She moved with her own mind. That's what every driver should do._

The self-celebration was soon cut short when the ground was exploded right nearby.

"They are onto us!" Leila called out.

"Ah damn. We're surrounded." Cadenza said, trying to reverse.

…

…

« Lock onto that leading Panzer, gunner. »

« This is Rogue 3. We on i— » That was the last sentence which Jagdpanzer couldn't finish it because of a shell made a direct hit on its rear, rendering a game over for the tank.

Suddenly, multiple of metallic banging like drum beats taken the Tiger II's crew by surprised as the sound was deafening their ears.

« What the hell?! »

« Our seven o'clock! Enemy reinforcement! »

« Damn. Where the hell they come from?! »

…

…

"It's our rear guard!" Sheska exclaimed.

"Nice timing to show up, Mauko." Cadenza said.

"Erika-chan, everyone is ready. On your call."

"…" Erika's hand reached to a mike which connected to the loud speaker and had it before her mouth.

_'So assuming we managed to push through Karen's defend line. What then?'_

/ / /

_"In a way, we should be expecting some sort of trap ahead, waiting for us to come in and stumble upon." Erika answered Mauko-senpai's question. "Karen-senpai would use the terrain to against us."_

_"A trickster, she is." Cadenza said._

_"Our best option is to split up our force." Erika said. "Our rear guard can stand by and act accordingly to the situation."_

_"Act accordingly…" Mauko muttered._

_"Sounds good. We don't have to put our force into a hundred percent." Geshiko said. "Even if we got taken out, the remaining tanks could muster a counter-attack from the rear."_

_The others nodded, agreeing with the idea._

_Just before a dismiss order was given, Erika looked over to the scenery and said out something that capture the attention._

_"This whole scenery is somehow reminding me of the Battle of Kursk."_

_"The largest tank battle…" Koume said._

_"You know…to me, those Panthers looked a bit similar to T34 by the distance." said Ritaiko._

_"So we treat them like Pravda…?" asked Koume._

_"Of course. After all, we have a score to settle them with, right?"_

_The conversation soon joined in from the others._

_"And the most powerful tank they have on hand?" A pony-tailed girl asked._

_"Königstiger. But we can treat it like KV-1 or IS-2." said a member._

_"It is indeed a true threat to our force."_

_"And how many rounds do you think we have to put at it?" The Stug IV's gunner asked, grimacing to the idea of facing it head on._

_"I think we need **none** of it." Mauko's words certainly had surprised many._

_"Mauko?"_

_"That shape, it's oddly reminding me of the Maus."_

_"…"_

_"…"_

_"And we are inside a Hetz—I mean, Stug."_

_The Stug IV's crew soon opened their eyes wide when they realized Mauko's reckless idea._

_"But given that Tiger's hull…It isn't big enough for Panzer II or 35(t) to climb on."_

_"No, we don't need to copy the whole thing. Just change it up a little bit."_

_"So it's same same, but different, but still the same." Cadenza said._

_"Sounds tempting…but those Panthers wouldn't sit there around like a bunch of statues." Sangou said._

_"Easy. We just need to distract them."_

_"You forgot what kind of tanks we have here." Sangou continued. "Even if we concentrate our fire. They'd knock us out one by one like gallery shooting."_

_Everyone began to make their own wild idea, bring the heat to the planning tactic._

_"…Do you guys remember that infamous Chihatan style back in the first round?"_

_A question came from Erika brought the whole noisy atmosphere to a silence._

_"…"_

_"…"_

_"No…no way…"_

_"Well, you are all Japanese…so that's the way it should be." Cadenza said._

_The oversea student immediately earned herself a few cold hard stares in Japanese…_

_"It's decided then. We shall charge at the heart of the enemy's formation!" Mauko spoke out._

_"Charge?! Forward?! As the rear guards?!"_

_"Hah! But we are the rear guard."_

_The members found the idea was too crazy, yet it's something worth to try._

_"They are big but they're stupidly big that they wouldn't change direction!"_

_"Hit the target when you fire, let your defenses be of iron, and advance in perfect order." Erika spoke out a quote, gaining everyone's attention._

_"That is the Nishizumi Style."_

/ / /

_Or in a way, it supposed to be..._

Despite with a formed grin, there was a faint redness appeared on Erika’s face.

Inhaled…she did.

And she…

Let.

It.

Go.

 **“KUROMORIMINE. BANZAAIIII! ! !** ”

The voice from the top of her lungs shook everyone's nerves as well as the spectators'.

Following the one's war cry, the respond was even more tremendous that literally moved the earth.

 **««« KUROMORIMINE BANZZZZZAAAAAIIIIIIII ! ! ! ! ! !** »»»

The rogue tanks were simply stunned by the spirit of Kuromorimine lead by Erika.

"…holy…" Hawisa could muttered the word at this point while Karen on the other hand, she was grinning wide.

The horde of metal beasts charged into the opposing side at full throttle.

« They are closing in! »

« Oh shit! Fi-fire! Fire at will! »

The Tiger II and Panthers fired their volley, only managed to scrape off the paint.

« Damn! Those tanks are too fast and nimble! »

« Get close to them! » One of Rheinlands called out. « Don't let them use their gun! »

« Ute! Ute! Ute! Concentrate fire! Give them one big headache with our 20mm! »

By her words, all armaments opened fire. The heavy prideful tanks of Kuromorimine somehow got turned into punching bags by ruthless and merciless strikes.

« _Feuer!"_

"Driver! Take us in!" Erika said. "Gunner! Fire on my command. We're taking them out right here!"

The Kuromorimine's flag tank soon joined in the fray.

The fight was no longer about exchanging shells with shells. It was a full blown out between David vs Goliath in one such barbaric and primitive fighting, like raging sea smashed onto rocks that caused them to crack in pieces. This was what the Kuromorimine girls were doing it at the moment.

« Ram at it! »

They charged. They rammed straight into those heavy tanks frontally for all they care that referee system was promptly kicked in upon impact.

Two Panzer IIs collided into a Panther, while still firing auto-cannon. Even though with obvious outcome that it didn't do any damage at all to the Panther, but it did one hell of damage to every girl's hearing sense.

« Stop. Shooting. At. Us! »

Panzer 35(t) appeared from the side, and parked comfortable right next to the Panther.

« They are parking right next to us! »

The Panther's gunner rotated the gun, only to find embarrassed that the gun barrel was over it.

« Shit! Our gun is too long! »

A first-year tank commander stood up from the cupola and said out loud in a mocking voice.

"What's wrong, senpais?" The commander of Pz. 35(t) asked. "Getting a bit difficult with your excessive fat over there?"

A hatch was opened, revealing a brute-looking sailor.

"Why you…Get out of that tank and I will show who is fatty!"

"Ooh! Scary! Scary!"

"Get back here!"

« They're over there. Right! »

« No, left! »

« Right! »

The Panther's commander found it was too difficult which direction to move when there're two light tanks moving around them in a circle.

« Stop circling around us! »

The events on the battle lead the students and sailors on the plaza completely went wild with cheers and laughter.

...

...

"Hahaha…" A soft laugh was heard, gaining Shiho's attention.

"Maho, are you…laughing?"

"I'm sorry mother. It's just that…Erika and the girls…I think they are having…fun with the Sensha-do."

"…"

While the mechanics and other Sensha-do members were enjoying, the novice noticed the Chief was standing there silently.

"Chief? Are you alright?" asked the novice.

"...I'm just mentally calculating how many nights and coffee we need to have to fix all these jack shits up. Those girls really wrecked them all…"

"Ah…"

Hearing it, the whole mechanic crew's shifted from their pink-ish faces to dark blue. The reality was always too cruel.

"It's official. I will move back to the mainland and fix automobile with _men_ driving only. Girls on tanks are way too scary…" He said with a face of 200% done.

...

...

"Forget the shooting! Crush them over with our steel!" Obama, the tank commander of Tiger II ordered.

The heaviest one rolled its tracks, effortlessly pushing a disabled 35(t) which had rammed into out of the way.

"Here comes the big one! You're ready, Mauko?" asked the driver.

"Readied as you ever be. Gun it, driver!" Mauko said.

With that, the driver grinned wide as she shifted the gear and pressed hard on the pedal.

The Stug IV charged at the Tiger II gallantly in the same manner like Ooarai's Hetzer did to the Maus back in the final. However, there was a minor change. Instead of frontally charged straight at the hull, the Assault Gun only charged onto on one side of Tiger II's track which had the other track to climb on its tank body.

« Wha—what is going on? Why we are tipping over to our left?! » The Tiger II's loader was panic.

It's the whole crazy move conducted by Mauko's Stug IV, just need to do it at one side of the Tiger II, tipping off its balance. At the same time, when the Stug IV's 75mm barrel was right beneath Tiger II, its muzzle was close to the track at point-blank range.

"Fire!"

The projectile tore straight through the track, rendering the mighty beast unable to move.

" **NOW!** " Mauko called out to her allied. "Ram at it like a bulldozer!"

Soon Geshiko's Panzer II and a wild Panzer 35(t) appeared and together, they rammed right into the vulnerable side of Tiger II violently like bulls.

"Ohshit-ohshit-ohshit! WWAAHHH! !—"

Tiger II finally lost its balance and fell over to one side, exposing its belly.

The Stug IV and 35(t) fired at one concentrated point. Soon, a *pop* sound was heard.

« Tiger II is immobilized! »

« Oi what the hell?! That's cheating! » Tiger II's gunner cried out.

…

…

The spectators were stunned at first but they soon roared out with uncontrolled cheer as the ecstatic feeling was filling up inside their heart and mind.

"What the hell was that?! That was so cool!"

"So awesome!"

"They really just did the whole thing! It wasn't a stage, right?!"

It was beyond, this was truly something they had never saw at any Sensha-do match ever.

"…Yes!"

A sudden exclaiming caused many eyes turned to the long-haired woman dressed in black jodhpurs.

Even though she still stood there calmly and motionless as she was, but many (to their disbelief) thought that they have just saw her did a fist pump.

…

…

"Ok...they're using the top tier tank of all and somehow got bested by Panzer II and Panzer 35(t)? Where is the logic in this?" Kai and the others was amazed.

_Now we truly understood why Kuromorimine has lost._

_Not only from the fact that we use the heavy tanks._

_We're over-reliant on the Nishizumi sisters too much._

_We only move when there's an order._

_At this moment, everyone is fighting with their own thought and will._

_It's the same. The same reason why Ooarai has won._

…

…

« Yeah! We did it! » Geshiko said.

« Two shots at the same like. It's like a double pen...ok, I stop there... »

"Hahaha. Did you see that? Did you see that?" Mauko was overjoyed. "I didn't choose the Stug life. The Stug life chose me, motherf—"

Immediately, the Stug IV was taken out by a distance shot. Geshiko and the allied tank commander turned and saw a black Panther proceeded firing another shot, then another, knocking them all out under 1 minute.

« Rheinland 9 is out of operational. »

« Rheinland 5 is immobilized! »

« Rheinland 2 is out, sorry Erika... »

"Damn, it's that sniping black Panther again." Kai said.

"It's Karen behind the gun, no doubt." Cadenza revealed the fact that didn't surprise Erika much since she got a hunch as well.

"I have her in my sight. Order, Commander." Kai said, finger on the trigger.

"Hold your fire, Kai." Cadenza said. "Let me take you in closer. _Up close and personal_."

"…Can you do it?" Kai asked.

"The wet mud here should help with the drifting."

"Dri-drifting…?" Leila was puzzled by the word.

"…Are we really doing that Ooarai's thing?" Sheska asked, realizing her intention.

"Have you practice those moves before?" Kai inquired.

"I have done it with Panzer II. So it should be no different. Besides, I have done the calculation."

"Oh Gott..." Leila groaned, seeing this was a very bad idea.

"Cadenza." Erika suddenly spoke up, gaining everyone attention.

"…"

"Floor it."

And this day was the happiest day Cadenza ever had.

" **Ja**!"

The Panzer IV's engine noise was roared up to eleven as it charged at the head of enemy.

_Karen-senpai. Despite what you have done, I still respect you. You have invited me into your world, taking a huge risk that I would blow a bubble._

_You are my opponent, but behind you and everyone else. It will be **her**. Vice-Commander Miho._

_There will be a day that I shall walk with her side by side._

_I will be her equal! That is why…_

_I shall not be beaten by you, Karen-senpai!_

Unbeknown to many. The unmoved half-track which was used as distraction, the sound speaker equipped on it was continued in function with Ode an die Freude (ode to joy) was playing in the background, granting the whole battle scene was reaching to its climax.

"It's coming toward us!" Taiga reported.

"That move…is rather similar…don't tell me!" Hawisa quickly recognized the panzer’s move. "That's Ooarai last desperate move! Pivot the tank, Taiga!"

The two-colored Panzer IV once made hit the mud, Cadenza skillfully stopped one track as the other continued to roll.

"F **lank speed! !** " The driver shouted out as she stomped the pedal.

"We are not driving a…" The radio operator soon saw what's outside the vision block that they began to…set sail. "We are really drifting!"

With the momentum and…physic in play, the Panzer IV F2 had succeeded in the maneuver of drifting in one curved line.

However, before they could get behind the Panther, the muddy part which Cadenza had used for the move was…coming up short.

Soon the crew began to feel to the rocky part as the speed was dropped dramatically and unbeknown to their awareness, there was a certain thing that would ruin their day.

A rock.

Yup, it was a rock. A big rock. Big enough to damage the wheels and tracks upon the impact as it made the tank…tipping over to one side.

"Oh-oh! We are tipping! We are tipping over!" Leila cried out.

"The risk I took was calculated...but man, am I bad at math."

"Really? Really?!"

The loader braced herself as she held the little creature onto her like it was her baby. The commander was grimaced and muttered at one point: I'm regretted my decision.

The gunner, however…she was continued on her function as a gunner.

Despite the whole gravity was doing to their tank and their whole body circulation, Kai's amber eye steadily locked on the target like a true hawk. For she was a master of it. She had trained herself long back in the childhood when she was at the back of the car. No matter what happened. No matter how bad the road was. No matter how sharp turning the corner was.

Eyes forward. To the screen.

Hands placed steadily on the button.

For she never. Suffer. Motion sickness. Ever.

"Requiescat in Pace. (Rest in peace.)" Kai spoke out the one-liner.

"N-Nani!?" Cadenza spat out in surprised.

Trigger was pulled. The gun fire as the case ejected from the breach.

The shell launched and hit directly at the rear of Panther.

All was done while the Panzer IV was still in the motion of falling over to one side.

It was then, Ode an die Freude song has come to an end as well as the battle when all remaining rogue tanks were disabled with a little white flag popped out on top.

"We…did it?" Sheska asked.

"We did it!" Leila exclaimed. "We won! We saved Kuromorimine!"

"But somehow we are flipped over to one side…" Erika commented. "This is rather weird for the heroine's ending."

"Yeah, yeah. No need to thanks me." Cadenza waved her hand. "But hey, at least the referee system didn't activate…"

A comical pop up sound was heard.

"Non importa (Never mind)."

"Well done Kai. You have just saved the day." Erika congratulated the one who earned the credit.

"…"

"…You ok, Kai?" Leila asked.

"I am touching myself tonight! WOO!"

"She is very happy about it..." Sheska said, patting gently on Dave's head.

Seeing everyone was alright, Erika slowly made her way to the turret's side hatch.

…

…

"Well, that was completely unexpected..." Karen scratched the back of her head, finding the whole maneuvering of Panzer IV took a strange turn and still managed to get them in the end.

"Everyone alright?" She turned to her crew.

"...I'm ok." Taiga replied.

"Yeah, we are fine…" Hawisa said.

"What about you, boss?" asked Shiko.

"I...I don't feel so good."

"..."

"..."

"Not gonna be a spoiler or anything, but...yeah...not cool." Hawisa found it was unamused.

"It's a good thing we’ve watched that movie before some asshole spoiled it on the internet." Shiko said.

"To be honest, I haven't watch it. And somehow I already got the gist of it." Taiga said.

"Ah...the thing I do for love." Karen sighed.

Then, there was a light knocking above. The auburn-haired soon opened the hatch, seeing the long light haired with icy blue eyes bearing a strong aura as a new Commander of Sensha-do.

Erika put up a hand for Karen to take it, so she did.

With the two stood on top of the turret, despite there's a different in height, the ponytailed auburn-haired couldn't help but feel she was defeated….in a sense of charisma and beauty to the light blond-haired with icy blue eyes. However, it was fine.

Smiling, Karen removed the rubber bang, letting her hair down like it was before.

"You have defeated me fair and square, well done. Kommandant." She bowed down to the victor.

"So…it's over? No more trick?"

Karen pulled out a USB flash drive from the pocket and handed it to Erika.

"No more trick. You have protected….and saved Kuromorimine, Erika."

Erika let out a brief sigh, relieving for such worst-case scenario didn't happen.

"Tell me. If you failed at that flanking move and got taken out by me. What would you do?"

Wordlessly, Erika pointed her finger to a distant hill there's where a number of silhouettes.

Karen used her binoculars to check, only to find 3 powerful Tiger Is were standing by.

"Oi…that's cheating." Karen turned to Erika.

The two only looked each other in silence.

"…"

"…"

"Heh!"

"Hah!"

Together, they shared the heartfelt laughter.

…

…

There was no need for announcement as the crowds were clapping. The applauses and whistles were louder and louder by the second till it came to a full volume of cheering for Erika's victory.

"Thank you, Erika." Maho said softly.

"..." Shiho silently agreed with her daughter with a nod.

...

...

"Karen-senpai is defeated…" The rogue student said.

"So...I guess this rebellion is...failed?" Alisa said.

"Not quite yet." The little one said. "I'm going to ruin that victory mood."

Her words only made the two Saunders spies puzzled and...scared of what sort of trick under her sleeve.

"So sorry about this, Erika-senpai." Lotte plugged a flash drive into the laptop. "But I think it is best that _she_ needs to know it too."

~0~

Afterward, the Morals Disciplinary Committee reinforcement arrived.

Luckily for the enforcers, the after-match situation was resolved peacefully, having the rogue students and delinquent sailors quietly came out along with Erika's troops.

It wasn't long for them to arrive back to the main sheds where the Headmistress and her elder daughter were waiting for them.

The leader of the rebels and the new Commander presented themselves before the Nishizumis.

"…That was the most… _unpleasant_ display of all to the Nishizumi Style." Shiho said in an unpleasant tone toward Erika.

"…"

"...But I cannot say it wasn't…thrilling." A faint smile was formed across the face, surprising Erika with her rarely expression.

"Well done, Commander Itsumi. You are…a radical one."

With a glance behind Shiho, Erika noticed Maho was smiling and gave an approving nod, which promptly made Erika blushed…but it was brief when Shiho shifted her eyes to the one standing right next to, the one who dared to challenge the Nishizumi and intended to bring…unbalance to the Kuromorimine.

"Karen Nakahashi…"

The fierce gaze and a certain dark aura coming Shiho Nishizumi caused everyone unconsciously held their breath.

At this moment, Karen could only viewed herself that she was a…something has been put on silver platter...in a literal sense, not a metaphor one.

"Okay...you can cook me, skin me, boil me, fried me, _stir_ -fried me or anything you want, just...you know? Leave my friends out of this...?"

"Give me your hand."

Karen immediately obeyed.

_Oh God._

_Is she going to perform a Nishizumi Style to break every finger bone of my hand? Or she would go:_

_Omae wa mo shindeiru._

_NANI!?_

And Karen died in such a gory way. Oooh, Gory Gory What a Helluva Way to Die~ Gory Gory What a Helluva Way to Die~

_OH-MAI-GAWD-OH-MAI-GAWD-OH-MAI-GAWD!_

She felt a certain cold, deadly touch on her hand.

_OH-NO-NO-NO-NO! Please let this be quick! **Jesus! Buddha! Allah! SAVE MEEEEEE!**_

At this point on, Karen only shut her eye closes and await the imminent judgment when Shiho's hand raised high like an axe.

Soon, the sharpness of pain that imprinted on every nerve and bone that she would remembered the rest of her life…

"BUUUA-WWWGGGAAHHHHH! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !"

...Was what Karen would have scream out, however...

"...Ah…ey?"

The pain somehow wasn't that terrible at all.

Karen opened her eyes as she noticed a sense of heat and a bit of numbness was coming from the back of her hand.

She began to register this properly…

The **divine** punishment which she received from Shiho Nishizumi, the Headmistress and the master of Nishizumi Style, was...a slap on the wrist?

"Don't ever use that tone in front of me again, young woman. You hear me?"

"..."

"Your answer?"

"Y-Yes, Headmistress! I'm so sorry for my previous action!"

Karen bowed her head down perfectly in a 90 degree angle. The rogue students stood afar heaved sigh of relief, somehow saw the storm has passed away.

"Ah...just when I thought I would smell the blood." said Elena, drawing odd looks from everyone nearby.

"…" The new Commander shook her head, thinking her heart would pop out if Karen-senpai let out such distress cry that would have imprinted on the back of her mind.

Just before Shiho could have say something, a certain group appeared on field. They're faculty members. It's no strange why they would show up here after this whole event.

"Madam Nishizumi. M-may we ask what had happened here?"

Karen frowned as others were nervous and blank-mind, rather didn't know what to do. If the teachers learned what had happened here then the punishment would be harsher than the one Shiho delivered…

"…There's no reason to be alarmed, everyone. This is merely a special drill conducted by my students with its code name...Valkyrie."

What Shiho said was rather surprising to the involved parties.

"Forgive our ignorance madam, but we heard someone tried to…suicide?"

"That's a…call sign for this group here…Suicide Squad."

Karen and a few immediately put a hand over their mouth, snickering.

"Even though I don't agree with such…grimy name. But it's the girls' decision."

"A Sensha-do special drill?"

"What has transpired here...the students of Sensha-do has demonstrated the weakness of...Nishizumi Style. They proved this Kuromorimine's strategy was rigid and inflexible, leading its demise. What we did here is to change that."

"The Sensha-do members are not alone in this. I gave my thanks to the Moral Discipline Commitee and a group of volunteer sailors who participated the battle, to see how it went wrong. Usually a third party would give a much more insight from their outside perspective."

Smiles were formed among the said sailors, although the other party didn’t feel it on the same page, but they accepted it regardless.

"And...how did it go?"

"A few implement of changes need to be considered, however, Erika Itsumi and her team did well. She came up to whole grand new strategy. Despite not what Kuromorimine usually would go with, but it came from the true spirit of Nishizumi Style."

Shiho's words brought many young faces to smile or grin as Erika simply blushed hard.

"That will be all."

"Yes yes! Of course, of course. Madam. We will be on our way."

"Damn…that was something." Karen said softly. "Headmistress, you gave me a new perspective at you now."

Shiho gave Karen a dagger look at first before she turned to every student who participate the…battle.

"Everyone…thank you for your work."

““" **THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK!** "””

Everyone, including the rogue students were smiling with a sense of secure. Erika, on the other hand, was dwelling in her own thought…

_No…not quite yet._

_'Kuromorimine is still…dreaming in its own glory past. I think it's time to wake it up.'_

_'I'm going to wage a full throttle of Blitzkrieg.'_

_'We won't lose next time. It's a promise!'_

_'Promise has been made. So it should be kept.'_

"It's time to wake it up…"

Erika quickly made her way to the Panzer III and asked the commander.

"Sorry. Can you turned on the speaker?"

"…uhm. Alright."

"And make sure it goes on open channel as well."

"Understood…"

Before the crowd was dismissed or a decision was made of how to deal with Karen and her group. The ringing sound in the air was heard.

« Eh-hem! Ah...Testing-testing. One. Two. Testing. »

Erika's echoing voice soon gained everyone's attention. Her crew, her companions, her recent enemies, the mechanics, the teachers, and of course, the Nishizumis. Not just them but also hundreds pair of eyes were looking at her through the projection screen and monitors.

Erika's heart was beating fast when she had become the center of attention as she was standing on top of Panzer’s III’s turret.

_Be still my heart…Be still._

She inhaled slowly.

« We lost. »

It was...unexpected. When hearing such words, eyes opened wide as faces turned to each other, hoping that they heard it's wrong.

Confused, baffled voices began to sound, to Erika's prediction. She continued.

« We lost. » Erika repeated. « The 62nd Tournament and the 63rd. We lost twice in a row. »

« Of course when you lost like that, there's bound something or someone to get blamed for… »

« Like…Miho Nishizumi. »

It was a name that many rather not dare to speak of openly. It really surprised everyone, especially to the Nishizumis but both remained silent as they let her continued.

« I think you all know about it already. You all know about me. But I'm the same as you. »

« However, at this point, I have no right to judge whether her action was wrong or right…but there's one thing I'd dare to say this. What she did, it was for Sensha-do! Not for Nishizumi Style. Not for Kuromorimine. But because it was her own Sensha-do! Miho's own Sensha-do! »

Erika's words brought the whole crowd to the rowdy state.

« Some…many said that she is not worthy in Kuromomine. »

« But were we too? **_Are_** we worthy to Kuromorimine? »

« Did you come to Kuromorimine just because 'I feel like it so I think I would give it a try'? No. Did you come to Kuromorimine because they are the champions, because it has the Nishizumi Style? »

« Maybe that's the very first reason you will say. But then you all realized that there's more to it. You came here because you respect it. You respect Sensha-do. More than everyone, with heart and mind. »

« You have worked harder than anyone. Not just us alone, but the mechanics here who have spent many sleepless nights in order to maintain our tanks' engine, keep them well-oiled, up and running. »

"Yeah!" A few exclaims were made, agreeing with her.

"You tell them, girl!"

The atmosphere began to shift to something more positive.

« There's more than just love for Sensha-do. What we do here. What we **are** doing here. We're searching the truth for ourselves! »

Murmurs of content were heard.

« I respect and love Sensha-do! This is a sole reason why I have joined Kuromorimine. »

« And of course, the Nishizumi Style is something we all look forward to. We're all wanting to become worthy to it. And yet, we failed…But that's fine! Because that is Sensha-do! That just show how the struggle is real! Without it then that is not a Sensha-do and that is not Kuromorimine! »

"Yeah!” “That's right!"

More and more exclaims were made positively.

« Where we are standing. This is Kuromorimine! »

« We strive for strength! »

«We are the peak of all those who do the Sensha-do! »

« And we are all perseverant, because it's worth it! Because this. **Is**. Kuromormine! »

« For **WE. ARE. KUROMORIMINE!** **»**

It was a moment of absent of voices. The ground which filled by hundreds of people, yet there was not a single word. All they could heard was the sound of a wind came from the sea, and a few faint noises made by little animals.

The sun was continued to shine on the person standing on the tank.

"We will follow you, boss…No. BIG BOSS!" Karen called out the title that soon earned the following chanting from her friends.

"Big boss! Big Boss! Big Boss!"

"Lead us to the victory. Commander Erika!" Kai shouted out.

"Commander…Commander Erika."

"Commander Erika! Commander Erika!"

"Vittoria agli Kuromorimine! (Victory to the Kuromorimine!)" Cadenza said out loud.

"Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika."

"Für das Kuromorimine! (For the Kuromorimine!)" Sheska and Leila said together.

"Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika."

One by one. Koume, Ritaiko, Geshiko, Mauko, Sangou, Obama, even Abe joined together. The students, the enforcers, the sailors and the mechanics chanted out the name.

"Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika. Erika!"

With the name was being chanted harmoniously, Erika felt like she was being stripped naked for some reason…but these people, they were not mocking her…they're calling out to her…

"…"

So it would be polite to respond to those callings in a certain way…with her own way.

"…!"

The raised fist in the air instantly earned thunderous roars as hundreds of raised fists joined along with hers. Not just on Kuromorimine's school ground but the _whole_ Kuromorimine school carrier, they all chanted out the name with clapping and fist pumps.

"Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika! Erika!"

"Kuromorimine Banzai! Kuromorimine Banzai! Kuromorimine Banzai!"

"Victory to the Kuromorimine!"

"Für das Kuromorimine!"

"Watch out, world! Kuromorimine has come back and stronger than before!"

Maho and Shiho simply smiled at a new heroine of Kuromorimine.

"Still thinking of going back to mainland?" The novice asked the fellow mechanic who intended to resign.

"Meeh…I have some time to think over…"

Amidst in such spirited atmosphere, the auburn-haired couldn't help but noticed something was…wrong…

"…did I forget something…?" Karen massaged, searching her memory to find a specific thing…she soon found it. And it was not good. Not good _at all_.

"Oh no…"

Without a warning, the projection screen showing the live feed of Erika shifted to a new scene. It was a certain shot from a phone device, showing someone is standing on a stand. With the person's incredible appearance along with resounding speech everyone had heard. There was no mistake about it.

That person was the same Erika Itsumi. Although there was a certain…different comparing to the one at the present, the one on stage appeared to be…drunk.

 **« HELLO EVERYONE! MY NAME IS ERIKA ITSUMI. I'M THE VICE…NAH, NOT VICE-COMMANDER ANYMORE. LET ME TELL YOU ALL SOMETHING. YESTERDAY, OUR BELOVED IRON LADY, SHIHO NISHIZUMI HAD APPOINTED ME AS A NEW COMMANDER OF KUROMORIMINE.** **»**

 **« OOOOOHHH!** **»** The noise came from the audience in the background.

...

...

"Eh? Really?"

"Iron lady? Erika-san is calling the Headmistress as….Iron Lady?"

"Is she…drunk?"

"I don't think so but…"

"Ho-ho! There is it again!"

While the regular students were a bit confused, the sailors, on the other hand, were as rowdy as they were, hinting that they knew something.

"Oh my! Karen. You are so cruel."

"Better record this one for good!"

"Ah...senpais? May I ask what's going on?" A first-year student asked.

"Pay attention to this one good, kouhais. This is one of a life time. Also, take out your phone to record it. Who knows when the original film might disappear."

And so, the attention shifted back to the giant screen as every phone device was held high in their hand.

...

...

 **« I MEAN HAVING THE TITLE COMMANDER IS GOOD AND ALL. BUT PEOPLE KEEP CALLING COMMANDER NISHIZUMI FOR SO LONG. SO WHAT IF SOMEONE COMES TOO ME AND SAYS: OH HEY COMMANDER NISHI—OH NO, I MEAN, COMMANDER ITSUMI!** **»**

Erika imitated the hand salute.

Some cackles were heard in the background.

 **« SO IN AVOID TO DO SO, PLEASE. CALL ME COMMANDER ERIKA INSTEAD.** **»**

 **« Commander Erika. Commander Erika!** **»**

One of Erika's eye lips was twitching, finding this was too unbelievable. How and when did she do without her own knowledge? No wait...it was that night...she was inside that bar.

 **« YA KNOW? COMMANDER NISHIZUMI ALWAYS SOUNDED GOOD AND FORMAL. THAT APPLIED TO THE SAME AS HER YOUNGER SISTER TOO, MIHO. EVERYONE BACK AT OOARAI CALLED HER LAST NAME LIKE WE DID HERE.** **»**

**« HELL! MAYBE I WANTED TO BE CALLED JUST LIKE THEM. BUT TOO BAD, I'M NOT RELATED… »**

Laughter soon followed.

**« SO MAYBE THERE WAS ONE SIMPLE SOLUTION. I SIMPLY CAME UP TO HER AND SAID THIS… »**

_Oh no...Oh no!_

Erika's face went blue, only to find that piece of lost memory finally returned…

_Of all the time. Why do I have to remember it **now! ? !**_

"Stop the video! Stop the video!" Karen frantically called to the saboteur team over the phone.

Among the bewildered crowd, there were a few faces turned red as they knew what's coming up next.

"Be strong, Erika…" Koume said, clasping both of her hands together.

"You know, there is one thing that we have lied to you girls." Cadenza and Kai spoke to Sheska and Leila.

"Of what…"

 **« TO BE HONEST, I REALLY WANTED TO SAY THIS FOR SO LONG… _»_** Erika behind the screen drew a breath of air.

The one looking at herself was having her brain on the verge of mental breakdown.

_OH NO! NONONONONONONONONO! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN! NEIN!_

""She got a pretty damn good voice."" The two said at the same time.

 **« Commander Nishizumi, no…Maho Nishizumi-san. SUKI DESU! TSUKIATTE KUDASAAAIIIII! !** **(I LIKE YOU. PLEASE GO OUT WITH MEEEE! !)** **»**

"Hiii… **GGGGYYYYYYYYAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! ! ! ! ! !** "

That was what Erika had screamed from the top of her lungs. Then again, that was only the volume of screaming _mentally_ as her mind was drifted into the void of black hole...with Milky Way and Stars.

 **« JUST KIDDING! NOW TIME TO LET Y'ALL HEAR MY AWESOME SINGING VOICE. HIT IT DEE-JAY!** **»**

…However, that part was never played because of a pause icon has appeared, stopping the clip right after Erika's...confession.

Immediately after Erika's boldly confession, various gasps and 'kya!' went uncontrollably in the air from the spectators. Many faces went red and huge grins were formed hard as they knew it beforehand.

"You idiot! Play the video. Play the video!" Karen shouted out.

…

…

"…nope! This is where the fun begins."

With that, the evil Lotte hanged up the phone.

Then, a loud knocking came from the door along with a powerfully voice of authority.

"Open the door!"

"Oh shit! What do we do?" Alisa said, turning to the Saboteur team.

To the Saunders girls' surprised, the Saboteur team already moved to the window, having a rope strapped onto their climbing belt.

"Wh-where are our gears?" Alisa asked.

"Don't have one. You guys on your own now, Auf Wiedersehen!" Lotte gave the two spies with her two-finger salute before she rappelled down.

"…" Both Alisa and Helmet-chan could only stare at the opened window wordlessly.

"That son of a—"

A hard banging on the door continued, bringing the intense stress to the two.

"OPEN UP!"

"Hiiee!"

It would be a long day for those two Saunders girls to get out of this school carrier.

…

…

The paused clip shifted back to the live feed, showing the main character of the show.

"Ah Scheiße…" Karen cursed.

Then came the moment of absent of voices once more…

_Please tell me this is just a dream…_

At this point, Erika had covered her redden face with both of her hands. Her face was blushed as red as the color of her uniform shirt. She wanted to dig a hole and put her head in there….but…with a sense of curiousity…she wants to know...She wants to know how Maho would react to this.

Wordlessly, Erika turned her head, seeing the Nishizumi mother who predictably showing off her severe frowning face, however, there was…a hint of redness appeared on her both cheeks.

"…"

Erika finally turned to the one who she had confessed her feeling. Face to face.

For the first time, no one, like never before, they would have such a pure opportunity to see Maho's such one expression.

It was priceless.

No word could able to describe it elegantly… Like a burning love slowly melt away the one's stoic face and icy heart...

It was safe to say that at this point, Maho was like a normal female student who had received the love confession for the very first time.

"Erika…I…"

"Commander Nishizumi…"

"…"

"…"

All spectators silently watched with 'Doki-doki' hard in their chest, shifting their eyes from left to right and back repeatedly while the state of Erika's childhood friend who suffered a color failure was entirely ignored (except the first-year German loader who aided her from not falling flat on the ground).

"I…" Maho began, making Erika drew her breath.

All swallowed hard their saliva unconsciously, gluing to the moment.

"…I'm sorry." She bowed down.

…Okay, that sorry was bearing a few meanings. To Maho, who rather experienced this for the first time so her meaning was this: I'm sorry, for not noticing your feeling. This is too sudden so maybe...and she got stuck at that part.

To the others, who was savvy on the subject (or rather, they thought they would be) so…it was translated into this: I'm sorry…like I'm sorry, so...friend, maybe?

"Aww..."

"Oh no!"

"Erika-senpai..."

Many faces was sad and disappointed by the outcome.

"Everyone." A third-year sailor stood up as she placed her cap onto the chest with tears in her eyes. "A moment of silence for our fallen sister…"

And so they did.

Offering their sincere silence to a fallen sister.

"…"

From the red to purple, like a fruit has been ripe for too long. Erika turned her sour face to the one who solely responsible that had turned her life upside down and possibly ruined it at this point.

"…uhm…oops?"

If not thanks to the intervention of everyone else, there would be one dead report in Kuromorimine School spawned on the internet.

After one such event of proving herself as a new worthy Commander of Sensha-do. With her rousing speech that moved and excited the heart of every man and woman, and yet her ending was a tragic, bitter end when her confession could not capture the loved one.

A silver lining after all of this? Erika has got herself a fan club (larger than Maho's).

Oh right. She also earned herself a title as well: Erika the Radical.

…

"Soo they're salt and sugar?" Leila asked the question concerning about the things in a particular photo which had Erika in it.

"Uh-huh. Looks a bit imitated, isn't it?" The bandaged Karen said, smiling.

"And the needles?" Erika asked.

"Stole a few from the infirmary. Fresh and unused one. Put them away safely."

"...How exactly did you put on that face?" Maho asked.

"What face?"

"The one back in the office. Before me and my mother?"

"You forgot what I do in my extracurricular activity?"

"…"

"I'm in the drama club." Karen answered. "Always love to become an actress one day."

"Yeah, sitting on a sofa." Cadenza said, smirking. "In front of a camera with four or five black dudes standing behind you—"

A loud smash sounded off by Shiko's large hand interacted with Cadenza's head.

"Ouch!"

"Rude." Shiko said.

"Sorry…"

"...So you didn't put anything into my drink?"

"No, of course not! You was drunk by the atmosphere, girl." Karen said. "After that so-called confession, you partied as hard as everyone."

Hearing it, Erika could only blushed hard.

"B-but how did I come to forget that easily?"

"It's because you happened to fell on stage, by that one dancing move. It got you…BAM! Pretty hard on the surface." Once Cadenza revealed it, it didn't bring that much of a good mood.

"Anything else you're hiding from us?" Leila asked with a dark face.

"No...?"

_Thank you for that, Cadenza. Really._

Erika made a sarcastic thought before she noticed Karen was looking at her.

"Sorry…I think you would do...well…mischievous to me…"

"Uh-huh, go ahead and think of me as an alpha bitch in school, Erika-chan."

"S-sorry…"

"But still…I don't deny it."

"Eh?"

"When you were sleeping, your face is…adorable."

While Karen was speaking, she made an approach to Erika who realized the distance between them was getting shorter and shorter.

_Her face…is rather close…too close, in fact._

"This is all your fault, Erika-chan."

"What do you mea—"

Karen's lips pressed onto Erika's. It was a soft touch yet so warm and…moist.

Once again, Erika's mind went big bang.

Of all the time Erika has been through...well, this one was a winner...

"...O-me-de-tou (Congratulation)." Lotte said it in Japanese.

"I-I don't think it's a correct way to put it like that..." Taiga said.

"Mein Beileid (My condolence)." Hawisa said.

"..." Shiko remained silent but there's a pinkish-red color appeared on her face.

"Mamma Mia." Cadenza said.

"Love is in the air." Kai said.

"No...no fair! I wanted to kiss Erika-chan too!" Leila said it out loud.

"This is getting out of hand. Now there're two of them." Yumiko said.

"It's not actually…it's teamwork right? Teamwork is well…team work!" The flustered Sheska didn't know what she was saying anymore.

Dave, the red squirrel only titled his head, finding these creatures' action and voices were too strange to him.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Maho quickly slapped on Karen's shoulder with some force, pulling her away from Erika.

"Easy there. Just opening up her mind here, former Commander."

"…"

"What's with that face..." Karen suddenly gasped as she realized the one thing. "Ohmygosh! Don't tell me, you actually jeal—"

That was Karen's famous last words before she got decked by the Nishizumi Style.

While the entire group was rowdy up from keeping Maho who was about to commit a murder, they left the light blond-haired to deal her own affair on spot.

Gently, Erika's fingers reached to her lips.

_Even though Karen-senpai just did it…_

_Why in my mind, why do I keep thinking of **her**?_

 

 


End file.
